The Rationalists Leibniz Rationalism and Theodicy Soazig Le

The Rationalists: Leibniz Rationalism and Theodicy Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 1

Outline 1. Introduction 2. Rationalism 3. Theodicy 4. Conclusion Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 2

Introduction: Leibniz, Life and Works Life: - 1646 – 1716 – Lutheran educated elite - The last universal genius - Education: Scholastics - Late discovery of new philosophy (when diplomat) - Rest of his life: Hanover – historian Works: - Theodicy, New Essays - Discourse on Metaphysics, Monadology Difficulty: Extremely prolific writer and Changing philosophy Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 3

Introduction: Basics Orientations Philosophy of the Middle Ground: - Between the new science and the Scholastic Tradition - Between Rationalism and Empiricism Theodicy: - Take seriously the idea of God’s being all perfect - Explain that the world we live is is the most perfect The Best Possible World: - Infinity of Possible Worlds – One actual world - Principle of Sufficient Reason Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 4

Outline 1. Introduction 2. Rationalism 3. Theodicy 4. Conclusion Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 5

Rationalism (1) Senses and Reason Men act like animals in three quarters of their action: -Sense perception, memory and induction For and Against the Empiricist Eternal Truths: - Known by the mind only - Superior kind of knowledge: universal, necessary and eternal Senses and Reason - Senses are not sufficient but are necessary triggers! A compromise between naive empiricism and radical rationalism Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 6

Rationalism (2) Eternal Truths of Reasoning Truths of Facts Necessary Contingent Analytic Non-Analytic `All bachelors are non married’ `Andrew is not married’ Principle of Contradiction Principle of Sufficient Reason Truths of facts, Contingency and Sufficient Reasons Contingency exists, but not chance A step away from Spinoza’s necessitarism : not everything is necessary, but everything has a reason Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 7

Rationalism (3) Conclusion Taking the empiricist challenge seriously - Senses may well be necessary for us to learn about eternal truths, but not sufficient Taking the necessitarian challenge seriously - Not everything is necessary, but everything has a cause One question is whether Leibniz manages to forge a coherent view along these lines ! Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 8

Outline 1. Introduction 2. Rationalism 3. Theodicy 4. Conclusion Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 9

Theodicy (1) God’s Existence Proofs of God’s existence - Cosmological Argument 1: cause of contingent actualities - Cosmological Argument 2: cause of all possibles / essences - Ontological Argument: God as a necessary being, i. e. a being whose mere possibility implies its actuality Reworks the traditional proofs in an original manner Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 10

Theodicy (2) God’s Nature Most importantly: God is all perfections Unique, unlimited, and contains all the possibles Theodicy, Par 7: - Understanding (all possibles) - Will (chose which are actual) - Power (made it actual) - Infinite Understanding, Will and Power - Unique Reworks the traditional proofs in an original manner Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 11

Theodicy (3) God’s Benevolence A perfect God must have created a perfect world Including morally perfect How to make sense of this? God follows the truth and the good - Opposite view: God decides on everything – truth and good included - Leibniz: arbitrariness and lack of value of the Creation / Creator True Freedom is enlightened even for God A true benevolent God creates the world according to what he understands is true and good Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 12

Theodicy (4) The Creation’s Perfection We must commit to the belief that the Creation is most perfect How to make sense of this? - Not everything is wonderful! - Perfection: the best balance between simplicity of causes and complexity of effects The world we live in is the BEST POSSIBLE WORLD Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 13

Outline 1. Introduction 2. Rationalism 3. Theodicy 4. Conclusion Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 14

Conclusion on Leibniz’ God One crucial starting point: God is all perfection An original point of view: the modal point of view Leibniz is both more traditional and more original than his contemporaries when it comes to the analysis of God Soazig Le Bihan - University of Montana 15