The World's Souls and God's Body: Comparing Leibniz's Monadology with Ramanuja's Vishishtadvaita Panentheism
Dr Joanna Leidenhag
ARTS Complex Room G.H01 (entry 7 Woodland Road), followed by drinks in 3 Woodland Road room 1.3
Speaker
Chair
Dr David Leech, University of Bristol
Abstract
Does the claim that everything is conscious (panpsychism) mean that the world is the body of God (panentheism)? To answer this question, we need an account of panpsychist embodiment. This paper examines the model of embodiment developed by 17th century panpsychist philosopher, Gottfrid von Leibniz, noting that Leibniz did not endorse applying embodiment to God. To find a philosopher who does extend roughly the same model of embodiment to God we need to look east to the Viśiṣṭādvaita Vedānta philosophy of Rāmānuja.
The talk will be followed by a Q&A and a small reception of drinks and nibbles.
All are welcome!