Leibniz’s vital monads formed a noninteractive cosmos, unlike Renaissance organic relations.

Evidence

Unlike the dialectically related organisms of the Renaissance naturalists, Leibniz’s vital substances were noninteractive. Although in one sense every monad was related to every other monad through a pre-established harmony, in another sense there were no relations between monads at all. And although the level of activity of each vital substance was characterized by the heightening or diminution of its own internal perception, no monad actually perceived another monad. — Carolyn Merchant, The Death of Nature, 988

Categorization

• DEFINE: Pre-established harmony means monads relate only through God’s prior adjustment, never direct interaction — a key contrast with organic interconnection.
• XREF: connects to: Leibniz’s conception of matter as dormant monads echoed Van Helmont’s and Conway’s organicism. — Carolyn Merchant, The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology,…, 989; Leibniz defined an infinite number of unextended soul substances called monads. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2128

Broader Connections

• Leibniz’s conception of matter as dormant monads echoed Van Helmont’s and Conway’s organicism. #corroborates (0.85) — Carolyn Merchant, The Death of Nature, 989
• Leibniz defined an infinite number of unextended soul substances called monads. #expands (0.80) — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 2128