Single Idea 5038

[catalogued under 17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 5. Parallelism]

Full Idea

Why not assume that God initially created the soul and body with so much ingenuity that, whilst each follows its own laws and properties and operations, all thing agree most beautifull among themselves? This is the 'hypothesis of concomitance'.

Gist of Idea

Assume that mind and body follow their own laws, but God has harmonised them

Source

Gottfried Leibniz (A Specimen of Discoveries [1686], p.80)

Book Reference

Leibniz,Gottfried: 'Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. Parkinson,G.H.R. [Dent 1973], p.80


A Reaction

They may be in beautifully planned harmony, but how do we know that they are in harmony? Presumably their actions must be compared, and God would even have to harmonise the comparison. Parallelism seems to imply epiphenomenalism or idealism.