Background

"There is nothing in the intellect

which was not first in the senses."

"Nothing, except the intellect itself."

i.e., to have experience, there must

first be a mind that is attentive and

prepared

Note implication:

Perceiving/knowing is not mechanical;

mind is not a passive mirror, but an

active and selective meaning-maker

- Denied Descartes' sharp division

between conscious minds &

non-conscious matter

- Asserted that consciousness is a

matter of degree:

-- World is made of monads: an

infinite number of particles

which are conscious

-- Monads combine to give:

- & also consciousness to a degree

{just as in integral calculus tiny bits add

up to explain a function within limits}

-- Monads have no "windows,"

nor do they change due to

outside influence; monads

change from within, by "unfolding"

- Why do different things change in

a coordinated fashion

(e.g., mental/physical events)?

Due to a Harmony, pre-established

by God.

{psycho-physical parallelism}

- Continuum of degrees of consciousness

in plants, animals & humans

{anticipates Fechner's mind-matter

continuum, and Freudian

subconscious}

- Rejection of the idea that mind is empty

implies "nativism," a view that any

inquiry needs at least some

background.

Compare the expression used in

hermeneutics:

"no understanding without

pre-understanding"

- Emphasises "unfolding" in human

development;

anticipates Piaget-type views of

development

- Scienza -> verum

- Coscienza -> certum

- Storia ideale eterna -> forms

- Per Causus -> creations

Anticipates Herder's notion of Volkseele or "common sense"

of a language community of peoples

Predecessor of Volkerpsychologie

- Hermeneutics of life history

- Many perspectives and

interpretations of life through

language, art, myth, religion ...

Social Evolution - stages of

psychological development

through symbolic life.

- Understand thoughts and feelings

through language, art, custom,...