Composition as Identity and the Logical Roots of Leibniz’s Nominalism

Author:

Costantini FilippoORCID

Abstract

AbstractThe paper deals with Leibniz’s ontology and the metaphysics of the aggregate. Concerning the ontology of aggregates, the main aim is to provide a new argument in favor of the claim that an aggregate and its constituents have the same ontological import. This argument takes the form of a weakening of a principle known in the contemporary literature of mereology as ‘composition as identity’ (CAI). The paper shows that Leibniz’s nominalism toward aggregates is a direct consequence of two elements: the way in which he considers the relationship between aggregates and their constituents in his logical calculus; and his theory of identity (and more generally, equivalence relations) as providing us with the ground for substitution salva veritate. It is concluded that Leibniz is committed to a principle that the author dubs Ontological-CAI: the aggregate/whole is ontologically identical (i.e. it has the same ontological import) as its constituents/parts. Concerning the metaphysics of aggregates, the paper outlines in what sense aggregates are grounded on their constituents: arguing that Leibniz is committed to a further principle that the author calls Metaphysical-CAI: the aggregate/whole is metaphysically grounded on its constituents/parts. From this it can be understood in which sense Leibniz could be considered a mereological nihilist, and in which sense not. The paper also sets out two different and competing readings of Metaphysical-CAI, and argues that Leibniz accepted both of them by interpreting them as different levels of explanation of the nature of aggregates.

Funder

H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Reference41 articles.

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5. Cameron RP (2014) Parts generate the whole, but they are not identical to it. In: Cotnoir AJ, Baxter DL (eds) Composition as identity. Oxford University Press, Oxford

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