Transcript Document

The Rationalists: Leibniz
Individual Substances
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
1
Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Review:
Leibniz: Rationalism
Epistemology:
- Granted to the empiricist: empirical knowledge
- Against the empiricist: knowledge of eternal truths
- Granted to the empiricist: senses as necessary triggers
- Against the empiricist: ultimately grounded in pure reason
Two kinds of truths:
- Necessary Truths – Contradiction
- Contingent Truths – Sufficient Reason
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Review:
Leibniz: Theodicy
Starting Point of Leibniz’ philosophy:
- God is absolutely perfect
- Hence the world is perfect
Perfect in which sense?
- God’s Freedom is enlightened, not arbitrary
- Perfection = minimal means, maximal complexity
 The best possible world
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Introduction:
Leibniz: Metaphysics
The dangers of the modern reductionism
- Descartes: matter = extension and movement
- Spinoza: one single substance
 Materialism, necessitarianism, atheism
The conceptual problems within modern reductionism:
- Individuation
- Freedom with teleology
- Moral responsibility
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Individual Substances and Predication
Previous notions of substance
- self-sufficient being (Spinoza)
- what remains constant under changes (wax)
Substance as the subject of predication
- What is predication? Assign a predicate to a subject
Jalisco is a cat
- From language to metaphysics
- Substances are these beings which are referred to by
subjects which cannot be predicated
- Which are they?
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Individual Substances as the
Fundamental Constituents of the
Universe
Taking seriously the notion of substance:
- Unique individuals – Principle of Identity of Indiscernibles
- Indivisible – ultimate elements
- Immutable – except by God
- Depend only on God – emanation from God
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
10
Individual Substances as Self-Contained
Requirements for a satisfactory metaphysics:
- Fundamental constituents
- Recover appearances
Problem: How come that individual substances appear to
undergo accidental changes?
Solution: Self-containment
The complete notion of an individual substances contains all
the predicates that the substance has had, has and will have
Examples?
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Individual Substances defined by their
Substantial Form
The old notion of substantial form:
- Crucial notion for Aristotle and the Scholastics
- Example: the socrates-hood of Socrates
 What makes something what it is
Despised by modern philosopher: vacuous explanation
Defended by Leibniz for metaphysics:
- vacuous explanation in physics - clock
- necessary in metaphysics – unity and individuation
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
14
Individual Substances as Independent
Mirrors of the Universe
Requirements for a satisfactory metaphysics
Problem: The appearance that each substance interact with
the external world?
Solution: Mirrors of the Universe
Each individual substance expresses the entirety of the
universe from its own perspective
Analogy: movie theater
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Pre-established Harmony
Requirements for a satisfactory metaphysics
Problem: Correlations between our world – causal
connections
Are we watching movies independently or acting in the same
movie?
Solution: Pre-established Harmony
- Correlations: direct causal influence vs. synchronization
- Super synchronization by God’s decree
Analogy
Appearance of causality:
- Causality is an illusion
- Causal Influences: restriction/expansion of the domain of
expression
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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Outline
1. Introduction
2. Individual Substances and Predication
3. Individual Substances as the fundamental constituents
4. Individual Substances are ``self contained”
5. Individual Substances and their Substantial Form
6. Individual Substances: Independent Mirrors
7. Pre-established Harmony
8. Conclusion
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
18
Conclusion on Leibniz’ Metaphysics
Fundamental Level: Independent, self-contained, unique,
indivisible and immutable substances emanating from God:
- Each possesses an intrinsic principle of unity
- Each expresses the entire universe from its unique
perspective
- All perspectives are synchronized
Phenomenal Level:
Well grounded illusion of a causal order between interacting
systems in a common, material world.
Soazig Le Bihan - University of
Montana
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