登陆注册
4699300000120

第120章

Fifthly: These representations and ideas are not necessarily conscious representations and ideas, any more than all monads as forming representations are conscious. It is true that consciousness is itself perception, but a higher grade of the same; perceptions of consciousness Leibnitz calls apperceptions. The difference between the merely representing and the self-conscious monads Leibnitz makes one of degrees of clearness. The expression representation has, however, certainly something awkward about it, since we are accustomed to associate it only with consciousness, and with consciousness as such; but Leibnitz admits also of unconscious representation. When he then adduces examples of unconscious representations, he appeals to the condition of a swoon or of sleep, in which we are mere monads: and that representations without consciousness are present in such states he shows from the fact of our having perceptions immediately after awakening out of sleep, which shows that others must have been there, for one perception arises only out of others.(11) That is a trivial and empirical demonstration.

Sixthly: These monads constitute the principle that exists. Matter is nothing else than their passive capability. This passive capability it is which constitutes the obscurity of the representations, or a confusion which never arrives at distinction, or desire, or activity.(12) That is a correct definition of the conception; it is Being, matter, in accordance with the moment of simplicity. This is implicitly activity; “mere implicitness without actualization” would therefore be a better expression. The transition from obscurity to distinctness Leibnitz exemplifies by the state of swooning.

Seventhly: Bodies as bodies are aggregates of monads: they are mere heaps which cannot be termed substances, any more than a flock of sheep can bear this name.(13) The continuity of the same is an arrangement or extension, but space is nothing in itself;(14) it is only in another, or a unity which our understanding gives to that aggregate.(15)b. Leibnitz goes on to determine and distinguish more clearly as the principal moments, inorganic, organic, and conscious monads, and he does it in the following way.

Such bodies as have no inner unity, whose elements are connected merely by space, or externally, are inorganic; they have not an entelechy or one monad which rules over the rest.(16) The continuity of space as a merely external relation has not the Notion in itself of the likeness of these monads in themselves. Continuity is in fact to be regarded in them as an arrangement, a similarity in themselves. Leibnitz therefore defines their movements as like one another, as a harmony in themselves;(17) but again, this is as much as saying that their similarity is not in themselves. In fact continuity forms the essential determination of the inorganic; but it must at the same time not be taken as something external or as likeness, but as penetrating or penetrated unity, which has dissolved individuality in itself like a fluid. But to this point Leibnitz does not attain, because for him monads are the absolute principle, and individuality does not annul itself.

A higher degree of Being is found in bodies with life and soul, in which one monad has dominion over the rest. The body which is bound up with the monad, of which the one monad is the entelechy or soul, is with this soul named a living creature, an animal. One such entelechy rules over the rest, yet not really, but formally: the limbs of this animal, however, are again themselves such living things, each of which has in its turn its ruling entelechy within it.(18) But ruling is here an inappropriate expression. To rule in this case is not to rule over others, for all are independent; it is therefore only a formal expression. If Leibnitz had not helped himself out with the word rule, and developed the idea further, this dominant monad would have abrogated the others, and put them in a negative position; the implicitness of the other monads, or the principle of the absolute Being of these points or individuals would have disappeared. Yet we shall later on come across this relation of the individuals to one another.

The conscious monad distinguishes itself from the naked (material) monads by the distinctness of the representation. But this is of course only an indefinite word, a formal distinction; it indicates that consciousness is the very thing that constitutes the distinction of the undistinguished, and that distinction constitutes the determination of consciousness. Leibnitz more particularly defined the distinction of man as that “he is capable of the knowledge of necessary and eternal truths," - or that he conceives the universal on the one hand, and on the other what is connected with it; the nature and essence of self-consciousness lies in the universality of the Notions. “These eternal truths rest on two maxims; the one is that of contradiction, the other is that of sufficient reason.”

同类推荐
  • 全元曲戏文

    全元曲戏文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 理惑论

    理惑论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金渊集

    金渊集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 唐音癸籖

    唐音癸籖

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 幼官图

    幼官图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 北极奖:圣诞爱情喜剧之四

    北极奖:圣诞爱情喜剧之四

    北极工程师加勒特极为看重并且一直过着安宁平静的生活,并严格按照事先精心安排的计划行事。有一天,圣诞老人请他去陪护北极论文竞赛奖冠军,出于对圣诞老人的尊重,他只好勉强答应;不料,他平静的生活从此就被打破,内心再也不得安宁……请欣赏圣诞爱情喜剧第四部:《北极奖》,你也跟着主人公脸红心跳、重温青春的泪与笑。
  • Coral Reefs

    Coral Reefs

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 溺宠蜜婚:大叔轻点宠

    溺宠蜜婚:大叔轻点宠

    萌萌哒吃货VS酷炫冷大叔,两人日常对话是酱婶儿的:“大叔,你刚才许了什么生日愿望啊?”“……我的愿望是……尽快完成这次的修订案,然后给自己放一天的假,躺在床上什么都不干,除了你……”大叔,我刚刚救了你,你这条命是我的哦。”“别说命了,我连命根子都是你的。”当然,不管自家大叔多么不正经,我们萌萌哒吃货都不介意,她其实只是好奇,“大叔,像你这种极品男神,肯定都特别在乎形象,那天气冷了,你穿秋裤吗?”
  • 帝君的反派妖妃

    帝君的反派妖妃

    人生有一大目标的小花妖,稀里糊涂做了妖族学院A一班长。性别不明小花妖,梦想修仙却成魔。一个是仙界帝君,一个是注定成魔。他天界帝君,本欲除魔却稀里糊涂被强上了,丢人丢心,在赔了一身道行!他天界堕仙,机关算尽只为等他的【无上至尊】命运轮回却也跳不出一个情!三世顷、三生缘、三生爱、命运轮盘不过是她逆转成魔的一个情劫。
  • 水浒之悍匪荣耀

    水浒之悍匪荣耀

    发如韭~剪复生~小民从来不可轻。头如鸡~割腹鸣~吏贵不可与畏惧,欲难平……吾以吾血悍尊严,怒以匪身换青天铁血群豪,悍匪花荣。壮哉~花荣~……新书《暗黑打神鞭》发布!!!
  • Anne of Avonlea

    Anne of Avonlea

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 菜狗来旺

    菜狗来旺

    杨袭,女,1976年出生于黄河口,08年始在《大家》《作品》《黄河文学》《飞天》《山东文学》等文学杂志发表小说。
  • 文化难题(走进科学)

    文化难题(走进科学)

    本套书全面而系统地介绍了当今世界各种各样的难解之谜和科学技术,集知识性、趣味性、新奇性、疑问性与科普性于一体,深入浅出,生动可读,通俗易懂,目的是使广大读者在兴味盎然地领略世界难解之谜和科学技术的同时,能够加深思考,启迪智慧,开阔视野,增加知识,能够正确了解和认识这个世界,激发求知的欲望和探索的精神,激起热爱科学和追求科学的热情,不断掌握开启人类世界的金钥匙,不断推动人类社会向前发展,使我们真正成为人类社会的主人。
  • 军户小娘子

    军户小娘子

    江南的小家碧玉随父充军到北方边城,军户家的小娘子在绝境中,也要挣扎出一条幸福之路……
  • 穿越之农家长媳

    穿越之农家长媳

    穿越到古代农家,爹娘为了彩礼,催她赶紧嫁人。嫁人就嫁人吧,相公竟然是从山上庙里还俗回来的可爱小和尚。小和尚两眼泪汪汪,山下的女人是老虎啊!农家长媳带着小和尚相公一起奋斗,治家、奔小康!