more from Gottfried Leibniz

Single Idea 12696

[catalogued under 27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / a. Explaining movement]

Full Idea

I have demonstrated that whatever moves is continuously created and that bodies are nothing at any time between the instants in motion.

Gist of Idea

Bodies are recreated in motion, and don't exist in intervening instants

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Thomasius [1669], 1669.04), quoted by Daniel Garber - Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad 1

Book Reference

Garber,Daniel: 'Leibniz: Body, Substance, Monad' [OUP 2009], p.30


A Reaction

Leibniz is a little over-confident about what he has 'demonstrated', but I think (from this remark) that he would not have been displeased with quantum theory, and the notion of a 'quantum leap' and a 'Planck time'. A 'conatus' is a 'smallest motion'.