Full Idea
Leibniz held that there can be no atoms in nature, nothing perfectly solid and hard, since elasticity entails the existence of smaller parts that can move with respect to one another.
Gist of Idea
Leibniz rejected atoms, because they must be elastic, and hence have parts
Source
report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by Daniel Garber - Leibniz:Body,Substance,Monad 5
Book Reference
Garber,Daniel: 'Leibniz: Body, Substance, Monad' [OUP 2009], p.200
A Reaction
Thus, I suppose, we discover that atoms have mercurial electron shells. Are quarks or electrons elastic? The debate about true atoms is not over, and probably never will be. Leibniz's point is a good one.
Related Idea
Idea 15955 I think the corpuscular theory, rather than forms or qualities, best explains particular phenomena [Leibniz]