Single Idea 12921

[catalogued under 9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 1. Unifying an Object / b. Unifying aggregates]

Full Idea

There are degrees of accidental unity, and an ordered society has more unity than a chaotic mob, and an organic body or a machine has more unity than a society.

Gist of Idea

Accidental unity has degrees, from a mob to a society to a machine or organism

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Antoine Arnauld [1686], 1687.04.30)

Book Reference

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'The Leibniz-Arnauld Correspondence', ed/tr. Mason,HT/Parkinson,GHR [Manchester UP 1967], p.126


A Reaction

This immediately invites questions about the extremes. Why does the very highest degree of 'accidental unity' not achieve 'true unity'? And why cannot a very ununified aggregate have a bit of unity (as in unrestricted mereological composition)?

Related Idea

Idea 12743 A true being must (unlike a chain) have united parts, with a substantial form as its subject [Leibniz]