Modern Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Modern Philosophy - Essay Example Leibnitz seeks to avoid the pure isolation of the mind from the body as in the case of Descartes. Monads are established as the most simple substance of which there are no parts or extensions (paragraphs 1 and 2). In paragraph 6 "monads have no windows" and hence are self-existing in a way. Leibnitz must explain what he means. Monads are different from each other because it is impossible for there to be the same thing in nature or else one thing would not be "discernible form another", things or monads must have an "internal difference" (p. 9). These differences are created from internal causes (p. 11). It is these internal causes which can make something that is itself, different or cause it to change and appear different. We are aware of our perceptions of these things, or of the thing that is undergoing change. Descartes was mistaken not to treat perception as a way of giving us what a thing and its changes are. Hence Descartes was left with the mind and or consciousness standing by itself. Leibnitz explains that perception represents "a multiplicity in the unit" of the simple substance. This is his way of saying that the mind cannot be separated from consciousness of the body. At paragraph 17, Leibnitz says that "...perception and that which depends upon it are inexplicable on mechanical grounds." That which recognizes substance and its various attributes cannot be based on the "figures and motions", or logic. Leibnitz in 15 has explained that it is Appetition or desire which is able to move from one perception to its wholeness or to new perceptions. If one were to move from the mind to the body, it would take not mere thought, but "Appetition or desire" to place these two together as a collective unit. Monads, as simple substances, are immaterial and have no extension. Yet they have their own perspective and something gives them extension and purpose. They have a certain self-sufficiency based on their internal activities. In paragraph 19 Leibnitz says tha t perception could allow simple substances to have souls, but that this is not possible unless perception is accompanied by memory. Mind gives monads or simple substances extension, purpose and identity. Whereas Descartes would say there is mind without body, Liebnitz would argue that there can be no mind without body. Mind and body are both monads, but the point is that it is the mind which is able to recognize the perception of the body or a rock outside the body with extension and secondary qualities such as color and taste. Humans are able to think empirically, such that there will be "daylight tomorrow." This is evidence the rational ability that humans have, and the knowledge of necessary and eternal truths that give us Reason and distinguishes us from animals (p. 29). Truth derives from the two great principles of contradiction (p. 31), and of sufficient reason (p. 32). These both refer to the two kinds of truths, reasoning is based on the principle of contradiction, and deal s with necessary truths that are found by analysis, such as in mathematics. The principle of sufficient reason allows for contingent truths, or truths based on fact (p. 36). By establishing the concept of simple substances first, Liebnitz is able to move the concept of self-identity as a truth. There cannot be substance with the mind's perception of it. Even the mind has