Abstract
Continuing to bring to bear the evidence of final causes, Leibniz shows how efficient and final causes are necessary for a complete explanation of phenomena. They are also useful for the discovery of the former. As a point of focus, Leibniz examines Descartes’ Optics, in which his laws of reflection and refraction are given efficient causal explanations. Leibniz then shows that the law of reflection, that the angles of incidence and reflection of a light ray are equal, depend on a law of the “easiest path.” But this implies a final, not an efficient cause. The same holds for the law of refraction. Considerable detail is given on how these laws are supposed to work for Descartes and Leibniz. The overall conclusion is that the two types of law harmonize with each other in that the same phenomena is observed by means of either. However, without final causes, the reason for the efficient cause cannot be explained.
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