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No, these are different things. The monads or 'simple substances' in the monadology of Leibniz are an important part of his later philosophy and a tool to solve
by infinity 13y ago
No, these are different things. The monads or 'simple substances' in the monadology of Leibniz are an important part of his later philosophy and a tool to solve metaphysical problems. For example, God is a monad, all other monads are created from it, they cannot come into existence by themselves.
In computer science monads are an abstract data type.
- pacaro 13y agoI have always enjoyed Ambrose Bierce's definition of a monad in "The Devil's Dictionary" "MONAD, n. The ultimate, indivisible unit of matter. (See Molecule.) According to Leibnitz, as nearly as he seems willing to be understood, the monad has body without bulk, and mind without manifestation -- Leibnitz knows him by the innate power of considering. He has founded upon him a theory of the universe, which the creature bears without resentment, for the monad is a gentlmean. Small as he is, the monad contains all the powers and possibilities needful to his evolution into a German philosopher of the first class -- altogether a very capable little fellow. He is not to be confounded with the microbe, or bacillus; by its inability to discern him, a good microscope shows him to be of an entirely distinct species." http://bierce.thefreelibrary.com/The-Devils-Dictionary/13-1 http://bierce.thefreelibrary.com/The-Devils-Dictionary/13-1
- tikhonj 13y agoTo be pedantic, they're really an algebraic structure rather than an abstract data type. This means that many different things can form monads, much like many different things can form groups or rings.