sufficient reason, principle of
- sufficient reason, principle of
Principle usually associated with
Leibniz, for whom it had a fundamental status, although found in earlier medieval thought, particularly that of
Abelard . It is sometimes described as the principle that nothing can be so without there being a reason why it is so. But the reason has to be of a particularly potent kind: eventually it has to ground contingent facts in necessities,
and in particular in the reason an omnipotent and perfect being would have for actualizing one possibility rather than another. Among the consequences of the principle is Leibniz's relational doctrine of space, since if space were an infinite box there could be no reason for the world to be at one point in it rather than another, and God placing it at any one point would violate the principle. In Abelard, as in Leibniz, the principle eventually forces the recognition that the actual world is the best of all possible worlds, since anything else would be inconsistent with the creative power that actualizes possibilities.
Philosophy dictionary.
Academic.
2011.
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sufficient reason, principle of — The principle of sufficient reason states that for every fact, event or state of affairs, there is a sufficient reason why that fact, event or state of affairs obtains. Leibniz viewed the principle as a first principle of reason, and it… … Christian Philosophy
sufficient reason, principle of — ▪ philosophy in the philosophy of the 17th and 18th century philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm), an explanation to account for the existence of certain monads despite their contingency. Having ascribed to… … Universalium
sufficient reason — sufficient reason, principle of … Philosophy dictionary
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principle of sufficient reason — See sufficient reason, principle of … Philosophy dictionary
principle of sufficient reason — see sufficient reason, principle of … Christian Philosophy
reason, principle of sufficient — see sufficient reason, principle of … Christian Philosophy
Principle of sufficient reason — The principle of sufficient reason (also called the Causal Doctrine) states that anything that happens does so for a definite reason. In virtue of which no fact can be real or no statement true unless it has sufficient reason why it should be… … Wikipedia
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law of sufficient reason — a principle in logic: for everything that is there is a reason why it should be as it is rather than otherwise … Useful english dictionary
