more from Gottfried Leibniz

Single Idea 12922

[catalogued under 7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 5. Supervenience / a. Nature of supervenience]

Full Idea

One thing 'expresses' another (in my terminology) when there exists a constant and fixed relationship between what can be said of one and of the other. This is the way that a perspectival projection expresses its ground-plan.

Gist of Idea

A thing 'expresses' another if they have a constant and fixed relationship

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Antoine Arnauld [1686], 1687.10.09)

Book Reference

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'The Leibniz-Arnauld Correspondence', ed/tr. Mason,HT/Parkinson,GHR [Manchester UP 1967], p.144


A Reaction

Arnauld was puzzled by what Leibniz might mean by 'express', and it occurs to me that Leibniz was fishing for the modern concept of 'supervenience'. It also sounds a bit like the idea of 'covariance' between mind and world. Maybe he means 'function'.