Discourse on Metaphysics

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The Discourse on Metaphysics (Discours de métaphysique, 1686) is a short (60 pages in translation) book by Gottfried Leibniz in which he develops a philosophy concerning physical substance, motion and resistance of bodies, and God's role within the universe. It is divided into 37 chapters. His foundations for the work concern the conception of God as an absolutely perfect being (I), that God is good but goodness exists independently of God (a rejection of divine command theory) (II), and that God has created the world in an ordered and perfect fashion (III-VII).

At the time of its writing Discourse made the controversial claim That the opinions of... scholastic philosophers are not to be wholly despised (XI). Early work in modern philosophy during the 17th century were based on a rejection of many of the precepts of medieval philosophy. Leibniz saw the failures of scholasticism merely as one of rigor. [If] some careful and meditative mind were to take the trouble to clarify and direct their thoughts in the manner of analytic geometers, he would find a great treasure of important truths, wholly demonstrable.

Leibniz viewed that God's omnipotence was in no way slandered by the thought of evil, more like solidified. He grasped the idea that God chose the best of all worlds and if this world had not been chosen than the whole scheme of things would be altered. If God was to prevent evil from happening than what is to say that something more destructive or more evil would not occur next. He is in no way trying to say God is not all powerful but inferring that choosing the lesser of evils is better than avoiding the situation.

Leibniz's conception of physical substance is expanded upon in The Monadology.

[edit] See also

Problem of the futures contingents

[edit] External links

Discourse on Metaphysics. A complete English translation, of unknown provenance.

[edit] References

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm. Discourse on Metaphysics and the Monadology (trans. George R. Montgomery). Prometheus Books, 1992 (first published by Open Court, 1908).