more from this thinker
|
more from this text
Single Idea 19327
[filed under theme 28. God / A. Divine Nature / 3. Divine Perfections
]
Full Idea
The intelligent cause ought to be infinite in all ways, and absolutely perfect in power, in wisdom, and in goodness, since it relates to all that which is possible. Also, since all is connected together, there is no ground for admitting more than one.
Gist of Idea
The intelligent cause must be unique and all-perfect, to handle all the interconnected possibilities
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (The Theodicy [1710], p.128), quoted by Franklin Perkins - Leibniz: Guide for the Perplexed 2.II
Book Ref
Perkins,Franklin: 'Leibniz: Guide for the Perplexed' [Continuum 2007], p.21
A Reaction
Notice that Leibniz's possible worlds seem to be all connected together, unlike David Lewis's worlds, which are discrete. Personally I suspect that all perfections will lead to contradiction, though Leibniz strongly argues against it.
Related Idea
Idea 19326
God must be intelligible, to select the actual world from the possibilities [Leibniz]
The
21 ideas
with the same theme
[existence of good qualities in their purest form]:
|
22920
|
Do I not fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord
[Jeremiah]
|
|
439
|
God knows everything, and nothing is impossible for him
[Epicharmus]
|
|
152
|
The mind of God is fully satisfied and happy with a vision of reality and truth
[Plato]
|
|
175
|
Gods are not lovers of wisdom, because they are already wise
[Plato]
|
|
3048
|
Stoics say that God the creator is the perfection of all animals
[Chrysippus, by Diog. Laertius]
|
|
22738
|
The Divine must lack the virtues of continence and fortitude, because they are not needed
[Sext.Empiricus]
|
|
19371
|
Nine principles of God: goodness, greatness, eternity, power, wisdom, will, virtue, truth and glory
[Lull, by Arthur,R]
|
|
1865
|
It is heresy to teach that natural impossibilities cannot even be achieved by God
[Anon (Par)]
|
|
9111
|
God is not wise, but more-than-wise; God is not good, but more-than-good
[William of Ockham]
|
|
2275
|
It is self-evident that deception is a natural defect, so God could not be a deceiver
[Descartes]
|
|
7829
|
God no more has human perfections than we have animal perfections
[Spinoza]
|
|
4866
|
God is a being with infinite attributes, each of them infinite or perfect
[Spinoza]
|
|
17025
|
If a perfect being does not rule the cosmos, it is not God
[Newton]
|
|
5041
|
God does everything in a perfect way, and never acts contrary to reason
[Leibniz]
|
|
2114
|
This is the most perfect possible universe, in its combination of variety with order
[Leibniz]
|
|
12988
|
The universe contains everything possible for its perfect harmony
[Leibniz]
|
|
1414
|
A perfection is a simple quality, which is positive and absolute, and has no limit
[Leibniz]
|
|
5048
|
Perfection is simply quantity of reality
[Leibniz]
|
|
19327
|
The intelligent cause must be unique and all-perfect, to handle all the interconnected possibilities
[Leibniz]
|
|
6959
|
We can't assume God's perfections are like our ideas or like human attributes
[Hume]
|
|
18980
|
If there is a 'greatest knower', it doesn't follow that they know absolutely everything
[James]
|