Modern Monads: Leibniz, Continuity, and the Stream of Consciousness

Abstract

What is a perceiving ‘me’ or ‘soul’ and does it endure, perhaps for eternity, or is it merely one of a sequence of evanescent events? Conscious perception poses several puzzles in relation to subject identity and continuity that Leibniz paid close attention to. Re-applying Leibniz’s principles in a modern context suggests two conclusions. Firstly, his search for fundamental indivisible (monadic) perceiving dynamic units looks as motivated as ever. Secondly, modern physics may suggest ways to mitigate the temporal paradox raised for Leibniz by Russell, in which events of experience may be both distinct and part of a continuum. Recent condensed matter physics provides a hierarchy in indivisible dynamic units that invites a more subtle application of Leibniz’s ideas on continuity and divisibility. Our experience as a ‘string of mental pearls’ may be peculiar to certain types of fundamental dynamic unit with a ‘constant internal principle of change’ but variable energy content, typified by collective modes of excitation in condensed matter. In simple terms, a local domain of the electromagnetic field may ‘inform’ a collective mode (such as an acoustic mode) both by bringing it into existence and, in addition, through ongoing variation, updating the mode about changing events to which the mode can respond with shifts in energy content. These shifts will divide the mode into individual indivisible excitations - perhaps the best candidates for individual events of experience. Leibniz’s monadic analysis may not escape intact, but his guiding principles may.