Philosophy Colloquium

Talk by Pauline Phemister (Edinburgh)

Title: Why It Matters What We Think

Abstract: In this presentation, I tease out some implications of Leibniz's claims (i) that there is a structurally isomorphic relationship between the mind or soul and its organic body and (ii) that the mind or soul perceives the external world indirectly through its direct perceptions of its own body and (iii) that there is material continuity across bodies.  Together, these would seem to suggest that not only do the visible motions of our bodies have effects on others in the external world, but that our conscious thoughts and insensible perceptions have effects too. The same holds in reverse: others' thoughts and perceptions affect both our bodies and our minds.  Looking next to how we can best ensure that our mental states confer positive benefits on others, I explore Leibniz's claims about the perfections of the soul and of the body and examining the correspondence between these. I suggest that the perfections of the soul are characterized by its primitive active power, distinct perceptions and benevolent appetitions and that these correspond to perfections in the body, namely, derivative active force, motion and the organization of its parts.  Given Leibniz’s view that the perception of perfection in others confers some perfection on the perceiver, it behoves us to strive to make our souls and bodies as perfect as possible.  However, since the same works in reverse, it is equally important to the perfecting of our own souls and bodies that we strive to ensure that the souls and bodies of others are as perfect as possible.    From here, I explain how we can, using our perceptions of the perfections and imperfections of others’ bodies, gain insight into the states of their souls (e.g. the distinctness or confusedness of their perceptions, their feelings of pleasure and pain, etc.).  Reading Leibniz’s advice that we ‘put ourselves in the place of the other’ as a theory of empathy, I explore the role of the imagination and confused perceptions of other’s bodies in the empathic communication with others that leads us to attend to them with feelings of benevolent love, a process that also, somewhat counter-intuitively, increases the distinctness of our own perceptions and the perfection of our souls.

Venue

50-52 College Bounds room CB202

Contact

Philosophy