Abstract
Although Leibniz never wrote a separate treatise on the passions, he was deeply concerned with the appetent dimension of the human mind. This paper explores Leibniz's conception of the passions against the background of his criticism of the Cartesian account of the interaction of body and mind. Leibniz's own solution to the problem he found in Descartes led him to develop a different understanding of the human mind in which the various inclinations of the mind become more prominent. By comparing the passions with instincts and rational inclinations the problematic status of the passions among all the various inclinations of the mind becomes apparent. In the end, to reconcile the passions with reason would mean to reconcile the mind's tendencies for present pleasures with its desires for long lasting happiness. According to Leibniz, this can be achieved by being more attentive to one's own thoughts.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Emotional Minds : The Passions and the Limits of Pure Inquiry in Early Modern Philosophy |
| Editors | Sabrina Ebbersmeyer |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Place of Publication | Berlin |
| Publisher | De Gruyter |
| Publication date | 30 Jul 2012 |
| Pages | 139-159 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781283627663 |
| Publication status | Published - 30 Jul 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |