Leibniz’s thesis of the claim of essences toward existence: Revindication of the literal interpretation
Abstract
Among Leibniz’s thesis defining his metaphysics, we can distinguish that of the claim essences have to existence. This thesis has notably interested Leibniz’s interpreters, and has aroused a debate which divides those who hold a metaphorical interpretation vs those who subscribe to a literal interpretation: while the first group thinks of such a claim essences have to existence is no but a metaphorical thesis, and means that essences are devoid of any claim to existence -and that it is only in virtue of possible divine actualisation of essences that we can (wrongly) say that essences bear it-, for the second group, essences do have a claim to existence, which should thus be understood as a real and intrinsic quality in them.
Considering some Leibniz’s manuscripts, our task is to revindicate a literal interpretation of Leibniz’s thesis of the claim of essences to existence. In order to achieve this task, we will explain why the metaphorical interpretation lacks of justification and, moreover, implies some contradictions.
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