Ideas from 'Letters to Antoine Arnauld' by Gottfried Leibniz [1686], by Theme Structure
[found in 'The Leibniz-Arnauld Correspondence' by Leibniz,Gottfried (ed/tr Mason,HT/Parkinson,GHR) [Manchester UP 1967,]].
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1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 1. Nature of Wisdom
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12926
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Wisdom is the science of happiness
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1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People
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12903
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Wise people have fewer acts of will, because such acts are linked together
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1. Philosophy / E. Nature of Metaphysics / 5. Metaphysics beyond Science
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12914
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Metaphysics is geometrical, resting on non-contradiction and sufficient reason
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2. Reason / D. Definition / 4. Real Definition
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12915
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Definitions can only be real if the item is possible
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3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 1. Truth
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19333
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A truth is just a proposition in which the predicate is contained within the subject
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12910
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The predicate is in the subject of a true proposition
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6. Mathematics / A. Nature of Mathematics / 4. Using Numbers / a. Units
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12920
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There is no multiplicity without true units
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7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / g. Particular being
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12319
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What is not truly one being is not truly a being either
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7. Existence / C. Structure of Existence / 5. Supervenience / a. Nature of supervenience
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12922
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A thing 'expresses' another if they have a constant and fixed relationship
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8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 2. Powers as Basic
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13079
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A substance contains the laws of its operations, and its actions come from its own depth
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9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 1. Unifying an Object / a. Intrinsic unification
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12745
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Philosophy needs the precision of the unity given by substances
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9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 1. Unifying an Object / b. Unifying aggregates
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12921
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Accidental unity has degrees, from a mob to a society to a machine or organism
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9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 1. Unifying an Object / c. Unity as conceptual
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12746
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We find unity in reason, and unity in perception, but these are not true unity
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9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / a. Substance
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12916
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A body is a unified aggregate, unless it has an indivisible substance
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12919
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Unity needs an indestructible substance, to contain everything which will happen to it
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12923
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Every bodily substance must have a soul, or something analogous to a soul
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9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / b. Need for substance
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12704
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Aggregates don’t reduce to points, or atoms, or illusion, so must reduce to substance
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9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 1. Essences of Objects
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13077
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Basic predicates give the complete concept, which then predicts all of the actions
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12908
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Essences exist in the divine understanding
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9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 6. Essence as Unifier
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12706
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Bodies need a soul (or something like it) to avoid being mere phenomena
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9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 10. Essence as Species
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12906
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Truths about species are eternal or necessary, but individual truths concern what exists
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10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 3. Transworld Objects / a. Transworld identity
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12904
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If varieties of myself can be conceived of as distinct from me, then they are not me
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11981
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If someone's life went differently, then that would be another individual
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11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 4. The Cogito
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12905
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I cannot think my non-existence, nor exist without being myself
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11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 5. Cogito Critique
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19334
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I can't just know myself to be a substance; I must distinguish myself from others, which is hard
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13. Knowledge Criteria / B. Internal Justification / 4. Foundationalism / a. Foundationalism
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5033
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Nothing should be taken as certain without foundations
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / a. Types of explanation
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12913
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Nature is explained by mathematics and mechanism, but the laws rest on metaphysics
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14. Science / D. Explanation / 2. Types of Explanation / k. Explanations by essence
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13089
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To fully conceive the subject is to explain the resulting predicates and events
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 1. Mind / b. Purpose of mind
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5034
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Mind is a thinking substance which can know God and eternal truths
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15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 7. Animal Minds
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5032
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It seems probable that animals have souls, but not consciousness
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16. Persons / F. Free Will / 7. Compatibilism
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5031
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Everything which happens is not necessary, but is certain after God chooses this universe
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18. Thought / D. Concepts / 1. Concepts / a. Nature of concepts
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12911
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Concepts are what unite a proposition
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21. Aesthetics / A. Aesthetic Experience / 4. Beauty
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12925
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Beauty increases with familiarity
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 2. Happiness / a. Nature of happiness
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12927
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Happiness is advancement towards perfection
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26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / g. Atomism
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15955
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I think the corpuscular theory, rather than forms or qualities, best explains particular phenomena
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26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 1. Laws of Nature
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12907
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Each possible world contains its own laws, reflected in the possible individuals of that world
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27. Natural Reality / A. Classical Physics / 1. Mechanics / c. Forces
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12924
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Motion alone is relative, but force is real, and establishes its subject
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28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / e. Miracles
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12909
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Everything, even miracles, belongs to order
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5030
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Miracles are extraordinary operations by God, but are nevertheless part of his design
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / a. Immortality
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12912
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Immortality without memory is useless
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / b. Soul
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12917
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The soul is indestructible and always self-aware
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / c. Animal Souls
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12918
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Animals have souls, but lack consciousness
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