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Single Idea 12785

[filed under theme 13. Knowledge Criteria / E. Relativism / 2. Knowledge as Convention ]

Full Idea

In the mutual agreement of perceivers consists the truth of the phenomena.

Gist of Idea

Truth is mutually agreed perception

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Des Bosses [1715], 1716.05.29)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Essays', ed/tr. Arlew,R /Garber,D [Hackett 1989], p.206

A Reaction

This remark is startling close to the 'perspectivism' that crops up in the late notebooks of Nietzsche. Leibniz was keen on relativism in many areas, starting with the nature of space. I personally think Leibniz meant 'knowledge' rather than 'truth'.

The 4 ideas with the same theme [knowledge is just social convention (Gk. nomos)]:

1556 By nature people are close to one another, but culture drives them apart [Hippias]
12785 Truth is mutually agreed perception [Leibniz]
10347 Objectivity is intersubjectivity [Davidson]
4725 Contextualism says that knowledge is relative to its context; 'empty' depends on your interests [O'Grady]