PHIL 151 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Indiscernibles, Compatibilism, Metaphysis
19 Jun 2018
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Leibniz Pt. 2
Occasionalism: God intervenes every time one substance interacts with the other
Leibniz is a compatibilist (free will and determinism can exist together)
Hard determinists: if determinism is true, we can't have free will
Libertarians: If determinism is true, we can't have free will (believe in free will)
Leibniz's Principles
PSR
Principle of contradiction (PC)
i. A proposition 'p' cannot be true and not true at the same time
Principle of the Best (PB)
i. God can only choose the best
Principle of the Identity of Indiscernibles (PII)
i. If 'x' and 'y' are distinct individuals, then 'x' must have a property that 'y' lacks, or
'y' must have a property that 'x' lacks
i.a. Two distinct things must have at least one different property in order to
be truly distinct
The Predicate-in-Notion Principle (PIN)
i. For every true proposition, the notion of the predicate is contained in the notion
of the subject
i.a. Represents Leibniz's understanding of truth and his understanding of the
nature of individual substances
Identity
2 ways to understand identity
i. Numerical Identity: the relation that a thing bears only to itself
ii. Qualitative Identity: if two individuals share some property
i.a. i.e. same eye colour, liking tomatoes
Numerical identity entails total qualitative identity - if 2 individuals share all the same
properties, then they are numerically identical
A Traditional View of Properties
Properties fall into 2 types:
i. Essential properties: properties that a thing must possess as long as it exists
ii. Accidental properties: properties that a thing can gain or lose over time
ii.a. i.e. wearing a jacket
Identity in Leibniz's Metaphysis
There must be some property that distinguishes each individual substance from each
other
If there were 2 individuals who were completely indiscernible, then it would have been
possible for them to have switched in another possible world
i. God would have had no reason for choosing our world over the other world
(violates PII, PSR and PB)
Extrinsic Denominations: relational properties (properties that one individual shares
with another individual or a group - features of your relationship)
i. i.e. taller than other people is an extrinsic denominations
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Occasionalism: god intervenes every time one substance interacts with the other. Leibniz is a compatibilist (free will and determinism can exist together) Hard determinists: if determinism is true, we can"t have free will. Libertarians: if determinism is true, we can"t have free will (believe in free will) Principle of contradiction (pc: a proposition "p" cannot be true and not true at the same time. Principle of the best (pb: god can only choose the best. Principle of the identity of indiscernibles (pii: if "x" and "y" are distinct individuals, then "x" must have a property that "y" lacks, or. "y" must have a property that "x" lacks i. a. Two distinct things must have at least one different property in order to be truly distinct. The predicate-in-notion principle (pin: for every true proposition, the notion of the predicate is contained in the notion of the subject i. a. Represents leibniz"s understanding of truth and his understanding of the nature of individual substances.
