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Single Idea 5062

[filed under theme 7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 5. Reason for Existence ]

Full Idea

We rise to metaphysics by saying 'nothing takes place without a reason', then asking 'why is there something rather than nothing?, and then 'why do things exist as they do?'

Gist of Idea

First: there must be reasons; Second: why anything at all?; Third: why this?

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Principles of Nature and Grace based on Reason [1714], §7)

Book Ref

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. Parkinson,G.H.R. [Dent 1973], p.199

A Reaction

Wonderful. This is what we pay philosophers for - to attempt to go to the heart of the mystery, and then start formulating the appropriate questions. The question of 'why this?' is the sweetest question. The first one seems a little intractable.

Related Idea

Idea 7696 Leibniz first asked 'why is there something rather than nothing?' [Leibniz, by Jacquette]

The 18 ideas with the same theme [why do things (or anything at all) exist?]:

458 Nothing could come out of nothing, and existence could never completely cease [Empedocles]
1707 Maybe necessity and non-necessity are the first principles of ontology [Aristotle]
17179 There must always be a reason or cause why some triangle does or does not exist [Spinoza]
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]
5062 First: there must be reasons; Second: why anything at all?; Third: why this? [Leibniz]
7696 Leibniz first asked 'why is there something rather than nothing?' [Leibniz, by Jacquette]
19341 There must be a straining towards existence in the essence of all possible things [Leibniz]
19428 Because something does exist, there must be a drive in possible things towards existence [Leibniz]
3942 I do not believe in the existence of anything, if I see no reason to believe it [Berkeley]
5646 Hegel gives an ontological proof of the existence of everything [Hegel, by Scruton]
16007 I assume existence, rather than reasoning towards it [Kierkegaard]
7692 Being is maximal consistency [Jacquette]
7687 Existence is completeness and consistency [Jacquette]
19662 It is necessarily contingent that there is one thing rather than another - so something must exist [Meillassoux]
17320 Either p is true or not-p is true, so something is true, so something exists [Liggins]
19482 Current physics says matter and antimatter should have reduced to light at the big bang [New Sci.]
19483 CP violation shows a decay imbalance in matter and antimatter, leading to matter's dominance [New Sci.]