Papers by Fiorenza Manzo
Fiorenza Manzo, 2024
This paper explores the idea, occasionally discernible in Leibniz’s writings, that civil bodies c... more This paper explores the idea, occasionally discernible in Leibniz’s writings, that civil bodies can achieve a real or substantial union through the ’mystical body’ of the Church. The starting question is: can the ‘person’ of the state attain real internal union even if it is not a natural person?
This theme is examined in light of Leibniz’s interest in the ontology of complex aggregates (including civil ‘bodies’ or ‘persons’), the miracle of the Eucharist, the mystery of transubstantiation, and the unity of the Church. Since his very early "Demonstrationes Catholicae", he had strived to demonstrate that the body of the Church, despite being—so to speak—‘scattered’, can be regarded as a 'Respublica' with a strong internal degree of unity, primarily due to the communion that the faithful share through the Eucharist. This article thus analyses both early and mature texts in which Leibniz discusses the bond established among the faithful by the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, arguing that he experimented with the idea that the spiritual union possible within the Church’s ‘mystical body’ and its aggregative capacity could transform European Christian states not only politically but also substantially.
Editorial by Fiorenza Manzo (University of Milan) for vol. 8, (I/2021) of the journal <em>P... more Editorial by Fiorenza Manzo (University of Milan) for vol. 8, (I/2021) of the journal <em>P.O.I. - Points of Interest</em>, entitled <em>Feminist Philosophies. What of the Night?</em>
Shift. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 2019
The paper addresses the theme of the psychology of action in Leibniz’s writings of the Mainz peri... more The paper addresses the theme of the psychology of action in Leibniz’s writings of the Mainz period to demonstrate that he attempted to conceive of an alternative to the model of human nature that Hobbes describes in his Elements of Law and De Cive. Through a specific doctrine of pleasure, built upon his view of the mind as a “harmonizer of complexity”, Leibniz seeks to establish a psychology of action based on the reconciliation between individuals’ natural egoism and an equally natural disposition to love others. In this regard, I show that the validity
of this attempt strictly depends on the possibility of working out a purified conception of glory, stripped of the competitive character typical of Hobbes’s anthropology.
by Carlo Altini, Mario DeCaro, costantino esposito, Carla Bagnoli, Antonella Del Prete, Daniele Molinari, Lorenzo Cozzi, Sofia Pirandello, Francesco Malaguti, Francesca Fidelibus, Beatrice Beccari, Elena Fusar Poli, Lorenzo Testa, Federico Rampinini, Guido Bianchini, Edoardo Vaccargiu, Fiorenza Manzo, Roberto Zambiasi, and Marco Miglino Programma del convegno
The Leibniz Review, Dec 2020
This paper focuses on Leibniz’s engagement with Thomas Hobbes’s political anthropology in the Mai... more This paper focuses on Leibniz’s engagement with Thomas Hobbes’s political anthropology in the Mainz-period writings, and demonstrates that Leibniz tried to construct an alternative to the English philosopher by conceiving of a physically- and ontologically-grounded psychology of actions. I provide textual evidence of this attempt, and account for Leibniz’s rejection of Hobbes’s political theory and anthropological assumptions. In doing so, I refer to diverse aspects of Leibniz’s work, thereby highlighting his aspiration to congruity and consistency between different areas of investigation. Furthermore, Leibniz’s political writings and letters will reveal another—sometimes neglected— aspect of the issue: his concern to defend and legitimize the existence of pluralist and collective constitutional political systems like the Holy Roman Empire by providing the theoretical ground of their ability to last.
Lo Sguardo. Rivista di filosofia, 2019
This paper aims to show that it is possible to define the ontological hierarchy of Leibniz’s univ... more This paper aims to show that it is possible to define the ontological hierarchy of Leibniz’s universe by considering memory as a pure function. The argument begins with an introduction to Descartes’ view on memory in order to show the difference between his and Leibniz's view on the matter, thereby revealing the originality of the latter. The paper then clarifies the reasons for some of the fundamental divergences between the two, concerning their approaches, their respective investigative assumptions and demonstrative purposes. The second part of the paper examines the genesis of the mind-memory relation and the reasons for Leibniz’s interest in defining this relation —especially in his opposition to Hobbes on the crucial question of the nature of the conatus. On the basis of memory, Leibniz sets out an essential distinction between mind and body, which he claims has never been identified before, and certainly never in these terms: it is the difference between two kinds of minds, one "lasting" and the other "momentary". Leibniz's interest is mainly in the function of memory itself. He recognizes in it one of the key conditions for the development of a central theme of his philosophy: the substantiality of the mind. The recognition of a substantial nature rests on the recognition of a state of self-sufficiency. Starting from this assumption, this research shows how memory, which is essentially linked to perception, can be used as an effective means of distinction among substances: it is common to all of them, but their ability to perceive and recall is possessed in various degrees. More specifically, this paper suggests that substances can be divided into three main groups: those incapable of any form of active recollection — and endowed with a primary perceptive ability — who simply collect the traces of every event and every existing thing; those endowed with a simple apperceptive ability, which allows them a kind of "induced" recollection, depending on the present recurrence of something connected to a past event; and the substances capable of "réminiscence" and "souvenir" — that is, of autonomous recollection and re-enactment — which are linked to the recognition of the "self" as a center of perception and memory.
Book Reviews by Fiorenza Manzo
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Papers by Fiorenza Manzo
This theme is examined in light of Leibniz’s interest in the ontology of complex aggregates (including civil ‘bodies’ or ‘persons’), the miracle of the Eucharist, the mystery of transubstantiation, and the unity of the Church. Since his very early "Demonstrationes Catholicae", he had strived to demonstrate that the body of the Church, despite being—so to speak—‘scattered’, can be regarded as a 'Respublica' with a strong internal degree of unity, primarily due to the communion that the faithful share through the Eucharist. This article thus analyses both early and mature texts in which Leibniz discusses the bond established among the faithful by the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, arguing that he experimented with the idea that the spiritual union possible within the Church’s ‘mystical body’ and its aggregative capacity could transform European Christian states not only politically but also substantially.
of this attempt strictly depends on the possibility of working out a purified conception of glory, stripped of the competitive character typical of Hobbes’s anthropology.
Book Reviews by Fiorenza Manzo
This theme is examined in light of Leibniz’s interest in the ontology of complex aggregates (including civil ‘bodies’ or ‘persons’), the miracle of the Eucharist, the mystery of transubstantiation, and the unity of the Church. Since his very early "Demonstrationes Catholicae", he had strived to demonstrate that the body of the Church, despite being—so to speak—‘scattered’, can be regarded as a 'Respublica' with a strong internal degree of unity, primarily due to the communion that the faithful share through the Eucharist. This article thus analyses both early and mature texts in which Leibniz discusses the bond established among the faithful by the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, arguing that he experimented with the idea that the spiritual union possible within the Church’s ‘mystical body’ and its aggregative capacity could transform European Christian states not only politically but also substantially.
of this attempt strictly depends on the possibility of working out a purified conception of glory, stripped of the competitive character typical of Hobbes’s anthropology.