Infinite Accumulations and Pantheistic Implications

The Leibniz Review 7:1-24 (1997)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

Throughout his early writings, Leibniz was concerned with developing an acceptable account of God's relationship to the created world. In some of these early writings, he endorsed the idea that this relationship was similar to the human soul's relationship to the body. Though he eventually came to reject this idea, theanima mundi thesis remained the topic of several essays and correspondences during his career, culminating in the correspondence with Clarke. At first glance,Leibniz's discussions of this thesis may seem less important in comparison to others, since it might seem like a topic which is far removed from what are regarded as his most important philosophical doctrines. I hope to show in what follows that such a view is mistaken. The large amount of attention Leibniz paid to this thesis is a sure indication of its importance to him. Further, as we shall see, his discussions of this thesis tum on some of his most interesting metaphysical topics, including the development of his thinking about the actual infinite, the structure of organic wholes, and the relationship between God and the created universe. In what follows, I examine these discussions chronologically, from the De Summa Rerum (1675-6), to the correspondence with Clarke (1715-6).

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 90,593

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Leibniz on the Labyrinth of Freedom.Jack D. Davidson - 2003 - The Leibniz Review 13:19-43.
Leibniz and the post-copernican universe. Koyre revisited.R. M. - 2003 - Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 34 (2):309-327.
Newton, Spinoza, Stoics and Others.Mark A. Kulstad - 2008 - The Leibniz Review 18:81-121.
Empty Time and the Eternality of God.Don Lodzinski - 1995 - Religious Studies 31 (2):187 - 195.

Analytics

Added to PP
2012-03-18

Downloads
49 (#287,646)

6 months
2 (#668,348)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?

Author's Profile

Laurence Carlin
University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

References found in this work

No references found.

Add more references