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Full Idea
The true principle is that we can assign to every object its determined characteristic number.
Gist of Idea
We can assign a characteristic number to every single object
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (Towards a Universal Characteristic [1677], p.18)
Book Ref
Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Leibniz Selections', ed/tr. Wiener,Philip P. [Scribners 1951], p.18
A Reaction
I add this as a predecessor of Gödel numbering. It is part of Leibniz's huge plan for a Universal Characteristic, to map reality numerically, and then calculate the truths about it. Gödel seems to allow metaphysics to be done mathematically.