Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'fragments/reports', '06: Epistle to the Romans' and 'Letters to Jacques Lenfant'

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4 ideas

8. Modes of Existence / C. Powers and Dispositions / 2. Powers as Basic

12723	The most primitive thing in substances is force, which leads to their actions and dispositions [Leibniz]
	Full Idea: Since everything that one conceives in substances reduces to their actions and passions and to the dispositions that they have for this effect, I don't see how one can find there anything more primitive than the principle of all of this, which is force.
	From: Gottfried Leibniz (Letters to Jacques Lenfant [1693], 1693.11.25), quoted by Daniel Garber - Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad 4
	A reaction: This is an attempt to connect Aristotelian essentialism with the notion of force in the new physics, and strikes me as an improvement on the original, and as good a basis for metaphysics as any I have heard of.

10. Modality / A. Necessity / 8. Transcendental Necessity

490	Everything happens by reason and necessity [Leucippus]
	Full Idea: Nothing happens at random; everything happens out of reason and by necessity.
	From: Leucippus (fragments/reports [c.435 BCE], B002), quoted by (who?) - where?

12. Knowledge Sources / A. A Priori Knowledge / 3. Innate Knowledge / a. Innate knowledge

5052	When Gentiles follow the law, they must have the law written in their hearts [Paul]
	Full Idea: When the Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which shew the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness.
	From: St Paul (06: Epistle to the Romans [c.55], 02.15)
	A reaction: This passage was used by theologians as proof of innate ideas, which are, of course, divinely implanted (in the guise of doing things 'by nature'). It is quoted by Leibniz. Thus Christians annexed credit for pagan morality to God.

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 10. Theocracy

7572	Power is ordained by God, so anyone who resists power resists God, and will be damned [Paul]
	Full Idea: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained by God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
	From: St Paul (06: Epistle to the Romans [c.55], 13:1-2)
	A reaction: This notorious passage was used to justify the Divine Right of Kings in England in the seventeenth century. It strikes me as being utterly preposterous, though you might say that violent resistance to an evil dictator only brings worse evil.