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Single Idea 12693

[filed under theme 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 5. Individuation / c. Individuation by location ]

Full Idea

A body is defined as that which exists in space.

Gist of Idea

A body is that which exists in space

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Confessio naturae contra atheistas [1669], A6.1.490), quoted by Daniel Garber - Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad 1

Book Ref

Garber,Daniel: 'Leibniz: Body, Substance, Monad' [OUP 2009], p.11


A Reaction

A very early view. Leibniz notes that this tells you nothing about shape and motion.


The 12 ideas with the same theme [picking out by location in spacetime]:

Bodies are independent of thought, and coincide with part of space [Hobbes]
If you separate the two places of one thing, you will also separate the thing [Hobbes]
If you separated two things in the same place, you would also separate the places [Hobbes]
A thing is individuated just by existing at a time and place [Locke]
Obviously two bodies cannot be in the same place [Locke]
A body is that which exists in space [Leibniz]
We use things to distinguish places and times, not vice versa [Leibniz]
Objects only exist if they 'occupy' space and time [Russell]
Singling out extends back and forward in time [Wiggins]
Times and places are identified by objects, so cannot be used in a theory of object-identity [Loux]
Diversity of two tigers is their difference in space-time; difference of matter is a consequence [Lowe]
A 'thing' cannot be in two places at once, and two things cannot be in the same place at once [Macdonald,C]