Hi Bruno Marchal
A) I do see the phrase "an infinite number of monads" at numerous places on the
internet.
So I assume that there are an infinite number of monads, or at least as
many monads
as there are corporeal bodies in the universe.
B) On the other hand, 'each created Monad represents the whole Universe',
which implies that an individual monad contains an infinity of other,
universally distinct, monads,
which must then in turn contain an infinite number of monads, etc.
C) Yet on the large scale there is only one monad, which platonists call the
One.
Leibniz says thus that everything is connected (although non-interacting).
D) There is no way a monad can be created or destroyed through
natural means* (but presumably can be by God). But let us say there are a
fixed number of monads (I don't know if that can be infinite, I am not a
mathematician).
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*from the Monadology:
1. The monad, of which we will speak here, is nothing else than a simple
substance, which goes to make up compounds; by simple, we mean without parts.
2. There must be simple substances because there are compound substances; for
the compound is nothing else than a collection or aggregatum of simple
substances.
3. Now, where there are no constituent parts there is possible neither
extension, nor form, nor divisibility. These monads are the true atoms of
nature, and, in a word, the elements of things.
4. Their dissolution, therefore, is not to be feared and there is no way
conceivable by which a simple substance can perish through natural means.
5. For the same reason there is no way conceivable by which a simple substance
might, through natural means, come into existence, since it can not be formed
by composition.
6. We may say then, that the existence of monads can begin or end only all at
once, that is to say, the monad can begin only through creation and end only
through annihilation.
Compounds, however, begin or end by parts.
7. There is also no way of explaining how a monad can be altered or changed in
its inner being by any other created thing,
since there is no possibility of transposition within it, nor can we conceive
of any internal
movement which can be produced, directed, increased or diminished within it,
such as can take place in the case of
compounds where a change can occur among the parts. The monads have no windows
through which anything may come in or go out.
The Attributes cannot detach themselves or go forth from the substances, as
could sensible species of the Schoolmen. In
the same way neither substance nor attribute can enter from without into a
monad.
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Roger Clough, [email protected]
10/12/2012
"Forever is a long time, especially near the end." -Woody Allen
----- Receiving the following content -----
From: Bruno Marchal
Receiver: everything-list
Time: 2012-10-12, 06:28:03
Subject: Re: I think Monads may be the strategy to allow internal
changes"within" Platonia
On 11 Oct 2012, at 15:40, Roger Clough wrote:
This might be of possible importance with regard to comp.
First of all, there are a fixed number of monads in this world, since they
cannot be created or destroyed.
Fixed number? You mean a finite number or an infinite cardinal?
While, as I understand it, the identities or Souls of monads do not change,
they do change internally. This is because their contents represent the
rapidly changing (in time and space as well as internally) corporeal bodies
in the changing physical world.
This seems to be Leibniz's solution to the problem raised by the
question, "How can monads, being ideas, belong to unchanging Platonia,
if the monads at the same time represent rapidly changing coporeal
bodies in this contingent, ever-changing world ?" The answer seems to be
that only the identities or souls of the monads, not their contents,
belong to Platonia.
Here comp can be much precise.
With regard to comp, presumably there are a fixed number
of sets or files, each with a fixed identity, each of which
contains rapidly changing data. The the data in each file
instantly "reflects" the data in all of the other files, each
data set from a unique "perspective".
Something like that, yes. Will explain more asap. It is hard to explain as few
people knows enough of logics/computer science. You might read my relatively
recent explanation to the FOAR list, or in the archive of this list, or in the
papers on my url.
I agree with this post, but it is not yet clear if you would agree or just
appreciate the reason why I am agreeing with you.
Bruno
http://iridia.ulb.ac.be/~marchal/
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