Single Idea 7859

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 10. Closure of Physics]

Full Idea

Unlike most philosophers prior to the twentieth century, Leibniz was committed to the causal completeness of physics.

Gist of Idea

Leibniz had an unusual commitment to the causal completeness of physics

Source

report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by David Papineau - Thinking about Consciousness 1.4

Book Reference

Papineau,David: 'Thinking about Consciousness' [OUP 2004], p.22


A Reaction

It has been suggested that Leibniz was actually, in private, a determinist (see Idea 7841), which would fit. Leibniz is enigmatic, but he may have proposed the closure of physics to glorify God, only to find that God was beginning to look irrelevant.

Related Idea

Idea 7841 We think we are free because the causes of the will are unknown; determinism is a false problem [Leibniz]