The Relation of Leibniz’s Law of Continuity to the... - Robert Seletsky - SRF Online June 2024 скачать в хорошем качестве

The Relation of Leibniz’s Law of Continuity to the... - Robert Seletsky - SRF Online June 2024

The Relation of Leibniz’s Law of Continuity to the Reality of Matter Robert Seletsky; University of Colorado Boulder ABSTRACT: This essay discusses a version of Leibniz’s Law of Continuity which can be seen as a natural law holding that all objects in motion change gradually rather than discontinuously. Leibniz’s Law of Continuity is both a natural and a metaphysical law. Leibniz’s Law of Continuity relates to his metaphysical conception of the reality of matter because objects in motion are real or actual material objects. The primary outcome is a contribution to the secondary literature on Leibniz’s Law of Continuity. I will consider two of Richard T.W. Arthur’s claims of Leibniz’s notions of continuity and argue that they are mistaken. I contend Arthur’s first mistaken claim is Leibniz’s conception of continuity as solely an abstract or ideal property. I will argue that Leibniz’s view of continuity is best described as a gradual change of an actual object in motion. The heart of my argument is Arthur’s view of continuity as a solely ideal property does not seem to explain the foundations for Leibniz’s Law of Continuity since this law applies to actual objects in motion. One reason for this is Leibniz’s belief in the existence of the only substances, called “monads”, which must exist in all of creation. I hold that Arthur’s second mistaken claim is Leibniz initially believing that matter consists of infinitely many ideal points. I will argue that Arthur’s second claim is contradicted by two of Leibniz’s initial views. Firstly, early in his career Leibniz believes that an actual object in motion must be ultimately composed of infinitely many actual parts of matter. Secondly, at first Leibniz specifically claims that space, which consists of matter, does not contain any points. Recorded at 'Peacocke @ 100 - Continuous & Cocreation: Emergence in Scientific Age' an online conference from the Science and Religion Forum - 13th - 14th June 2024 Find out more about The Science and Religion Forum and register for future conferences at https://www.srforum.org/