more on this theme | more from this thinker
Full Idea
From the conflict of all the possibles demanding existence, this at once follows, that there exists that series of things by which as many of them as possible exist.
Gist of Idea
Possibles demand existence, so as many of them as possible must actually exist
Source
Gottfried Leibniz (Exigency to Exist in Essences [1690], p.91)
Book Ref
Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Leibniz Selections', ed/tr. Wiener,Philip P. [Scribners 1951], p.91
A Reaction
I'm in tune with a lot of Leibniz, but my head swims with this one. He seems to be a Lewisian about possible worlds - that they are concrete existing entities (with appetites!). Could Lewis include Leibniz's idea in his system?
19400 | Possibles demand existence, so as many of them as possible must actually exist [Leibniz] |
19401 | God's sufficient reason for choosing reality is in the fitness or perfection of possibilities [Leibniz] |
19402 | The actual universe is the richest composite of what is possible [Leibniz] |