Religious Studies 32 (1):37 - 48 (1996)
Abstract |
Toward the end of 1676 Leibniz met Spinoza a number of times. In one of those meetings Leibniz presented a proof of the possibility of God's existence. In his proof Leibniz presupposed that a proposition is necessarily true only if its truth is either demonstrable or self-evident and that the divine perfections are simple and affirmative qualities. I contend that Leibniz's presuppositions undermine, rather than establish, the necessary existence of 'a God of the kind in whom the pious believe'. My assessment is based upon a consideration of Leibniz's argument in the context of other early papers, works written before the "Discourse on Metaphysics" in 1686.
|
Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) |
Categories | (categorize this paper) |
DOI | 10.1017/S0034412500024057 |
Options |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Download options
References found in this work BETA
No references found.
Citations of this work BETA
Possible Worlds in the Precipice: Why Leibniz Met Spinoza?Vassil Vidinsky - 2017 - Facta Universitatis, Series: Linguistics and Literature 16 (3):213-223.
Similar books and articles
Leibniz's Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God.Mogens Laerke - 2011 - Archiv Fuer Geschichte der Philosophie 93 (1):58 - 84.
Existence, Essence, Et Expression: Leibniz Sur 'Toutes les Absurdités du Dieu de Spinoza'.Brandon C. Look - forthcoming - In Pierre-Francois Moreau & Mogens Laerke (eds.), Spinoza et Leibniz.
Leibniz and Kant on Possibility and Existence.Ohad Nachtomy - 2012 - British Journal for the History of Philosophy 20 (5):953-972.
Moral Evil and Leibniz’s Form/Matter Defense of Divine Omnipotence.Jill Graper Hernandez - 2010 - Sophia 49 (1):1-13.
Quod Non Omnia Possibilia Ad Existentiam Perveniant.Mogens Lærke - 2007 - The Leibniz Review 17:1-30.
Leibniz on Cartesian Omnipotence and Contingency.David Werther - 1995 - Religious Studies 31 (1):23 - 36.
Commentary on “The Possibility of God”.James Patrick Downey - 1987 - Faith and Philosophy 4 (2):202-206.
Leibniz on Substance and God in “That a Most Perfect Being Is Possible”.Nicholas Okrent - 2000 - Philosophy and Theology 12 (1):79-93.
Leibniz’s Early Views on Matter, Modes, and God.Candice S. Goad - 2000 - Journal of Philosophical Research 25:261-273.
Leibniz on Knowledge and God.Christia Mercer - 2002 - American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly 76 (4):531-550.
Leibniz, Kant and Frege on the Existence Predicate.Brandon C. Look - 2011 - In H. Breger, J. Herbst & S. Erdner (eds.), Natur und Subjekt: Akten des IX. Internationalen Leibniz-Kongresses. Hartmann.
Analytics
Added to PP index
2011-05-29
Total views
54 ( #212,156 of 2,519,876 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
1 ( #406,012 of 2,519,876 )
2011-05-29
Total views
54 ( #212,156 of 2,519,876 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
1 ( #406,012 of 2,519,876 )
How can I increase my downloads?
Downloads