more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
There is nothing which is not subsumable under number; number is therefore a fundamental metaphysical form, and arithmetic a sort of statics of the universe, in which the powers of things are revealed.
Gist of Idea
Everything is subsumed under number, which is a metaphysical statics of the universe, revealing powers
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (Towards a Universal Characteristic [1677], p.17)
Book Ref
Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Leibniz Selections', ed/tr. Wiener,Philip P. [Scribners 1951], p.17
A Reaction
I take numbers to be a highly generalised and idealised description of an aspect of reality (seen as mainly constituted by countable substances). Seeing reality as processes doesn't lead us to number. So I like this idea.
19370 | 'Blind thought' is reasoning without recognition of the ingredients of the reasoning [Leibniz, by Arthur,R] |
19390 | Everything is subsumed under number, which is a metaphysical statics of the universe, revealing powers [Leibniz] |
19391 | We can assign a characteristic number to every single object [Leibniz] |