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Single Idea 19421

[filed under theme 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 5. Parallelism ]

Full Idea

Everything takes place in souls as if there were no body, and everything takes place in bodies as if there were no souls.

Gist of Idea

Souls act as if there were no bodies, and bodies act as if there were no souls

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Principle of Life and Plastic Natures [1705], p.198)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Leibniz Selections', ed/tr. Wiener,Philip P. [Scribners 1951], p.198


A Reaction

I don't think I have ever encountered a modern thinker who accepts this view. Leibniz rejected Occasionalism, but his account depends entirely on the role of God, to set up the pre-established harmony. Why would God do that?


The 7 ideas from 'Principle of Life and Plastic Natures'

Not all of matter is animated, any more than a pond full of living fish is animated [Leibniz]
All substances are in harmony, even though separate, so they must have one divine cause [Leibniz]
Mechanics shows that all motion originates in other motion, so there is a Prime Mover [Leibniz]
Death and generation are just transformations of an animal, augmented or diminished [Leibniz]
Not all of perception is accompanied by consciousness [Leibniz]
Souls act as if there were no bodies, and bodies act as if there were no souls [Leibniz]
Every particle of matter contains organic bodies [Leibniz]