Single Idea 7561

[catalogued under 9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / d. Substance defined]

Full Idea

For Leibniz, it is the very essence of substances to be sources of activity.

Gist of Idea

Substances are essentially active

Source

report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by Nicholas Jolley - Leibniz Ch.2

Book Reference

Jolley,Nicholas: 'Leibniz' [Routledge 2005], p.42


A Reaction

This makes the views of Leibniz sympathetic to modern essentialism (of which I am a fan), because it places active power at the centre of what it is to exist, rather than action being imposed on matter which is otherwise passive.