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Full Idea
Descartes was a dualist about substance, Spinoza was a monist, and Leibniz was a pluralist (an infinity of substances).
Gist of Idea
Descartes says there are two substance, Spinoza one, and Leibniz infinitely many
Source
John Cottingham (The Rationalists [1988], p.76)
Book Ref
Cottingham,John: 'The Rationalists' [OUP 1988], p.76
A Reaction
Spinoza is appealing. We posit a substance, as the necessary basis for existence, but it is unclear how more than one substance can be differentiated. If mind is a separate substance, why isn't iron? Why aren't numbers?
| 4303 | The notion of substance lies at the heart of rationalist metaphysics [Cottingham] |
| 4304 | Descartes says there are two substance, Spinoza one, and Leibniz infinitely many [Cottingham] |
| 4306 | For rationalists, it is necessary that effects be deducible from their causes [Cottingham] |
| 4316 | Either all action is rational, or reason dominates, or reason is only concerned with means [Cottingham] |