Leibniz and the conciliation of faith and reason

Abstract

In contrast to the Cartesian thesis on the creation of eternal truths, Leibniz supports that the laws of thought have absolutely universal validity, what means that between God and us exists a common logical field. Otherwise, it would not be possible to provide both the theoretical and moral justification of the world, i. e., there would be no sufficient reason for creation. But beyond it, once there is a kind of convenient relation among all spirits - including human and divine intelligence - reason, defined as the connection of truths, shall not be contrary to faith, but must serve as its foundation, in distinguishing Christianity and other religions to justify its superiority. In other words, the opposition to Descartes statement in which the necessary and eternal truths are altogether created with the world, has in Leibniz something else than an epistemologically implication: the role of a double moral justification with relation to creation on the one hand and Christian religion on the other.