Gottfried Leibniz Quotes & Sayings (Page 2)

“Now where there are no parts, there neither extension, nor shape, nor divisibility is possible. And these monads are the true atoms of nature and, in a word, the elements of things.”

“The ultimate reason of things must lie in a necessary substance, in which the differentiation of the changes only exists eminently as in their source; and this is what we call God.”

“For since it is impossible for a created monad to have a physical influence on the inner nature of another, this is the only way in which one can be dependent on another.”

“But in simple substances the influence of one monad over another is ideal only.”

“This is why the ultimate reason of things must lie in a necessary substance, in which the differentiation of the changes only exists eminently as in their source; and this is what we call God.”

“I maintain also that substances, whether material or immaterial, cannot be conceived in their bare essence without any activity, activity being of the essence of substance in general.”

“I also take it as granted that every created thing, and consequently the created monad also, is subject to change, and indeed that this change is continual in each one.”

“It follows from what we have just said, that the natural changes of monads come from an internal principle, since an external cause would be unable to influence their inner being.”