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Full Idea
Active force should not be thought of as the simple and common potential [potentia] or receptivity to action of the schools. Rather, active force involves an effort [conatus] or striving [tendentia] toward action.
Clarification
The 'schools' means the traditional Aristotelian view
Gist of Idea
Active force is not just potential for action, since it involves a real effort or striving
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (On Body and Force, Against the Cartesians [1702], p.252)
Book Ref
Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Essays', ed/tr. Arlew,R /Garber,D [Hackett 1989], p.252
A Reaction
This is why Leibniz is lured into making his active forces more and more animistic, till they end up like proto-minds (though never, remember, conscious and willing minds).
Related Ideas
Idea 12714 The substantial form is the principle of action or the primitive force of acting [Leibniz]
Idea 12723 The most primitive thing in substances is force, which leads to their actions and dispositions [Leibniz]
Idea 13095 Essence is primitive force, or a law of change [Leibniz]
| 19373 | A 'conatus' is an initial motion, experienced by us as desire or aversion [Hobbes, by Arthur,R] |
| 20307 | As far as possible, everything tries to persevere [Spinoza] |
| 21803 | The conatus (striving) of mind and body together is appetite, which is the essence of man [Spinoza] |
| 21869 | Our own force of persevering is nothing in comparison with external forces [Spinoza] |
| 13193 | Active force is not just potential for action, since it involves a real effort or striving [Leibniz] |
| 19364 | Volition automatically endeavours to move towards what it sees as good (and away from bad) [Leibniz] |
| 13183 | Primitive forces are internal strivings of substances, acting according to their internal laws [Leibniz] |
| 20355 | The ranking of a person's innermost drives reveals their true nature [Nietzsche] |
| 20131 | We can cultivate our drives, of anger, pity, curiosity, vanity, like a gardener, with good or bad taste [Nietzsche] |
| 23213 | The greatest drive of life is to discharge strength, rather than preservation [Nietzsche] |
| 21867 | Conatus is brain circuits seeking survival and well-being [Damasio] |
| 21866 | Hobbes and Spinoza use 'conatus' to denote all endeavour for advantage in nature [Lord] |