Single Idea 19349

[catalogued under 9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / a. Substance]

Full Idea

The nature of an individual substance or of a complete being is to have a notion so complete that it is sufficient to contain and to allow us to deduce from it all the predicates of the subject to which this notion is attributed.

Gist of Idea

The complete notion of a substance implies all of its predicates or attributes

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Discourse on Metaphysics [1686], §8)

Book Reference

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Essays', ed/tr. Arlew,R /Garber,D [Hackett 1989], p.41


A Reaction

This is the unusual Leibnizian view of such things, which he takes to extremes. I think it depends on whether you are talking of predicates, or of real intrinsic properties. I don't see how what happens to a substance can be contained in the subject.