Published In

North American Spinoza Society Monograph

Document Type

Post-Print

Publication Date

1-1-2007

Subjects

Benedict de Spinoza (1632-1677), Gödel's theorem, System theory, Metaphysics, Science and religion

Abstract

Spinoza distinguishes between causation that is external, as in A causing B where A is external to B, and causation that is internal, where C causes itself (causa sui), without any involvement of anything external to C. External causation is easy to understand, but self-causation is not. This note explores an approach to self-causation based upon Gödelian undecidability and draws upon ideas from an earlier study of Gödel’s proof and the quantum measurement problem (Zwick, 1978).

Rights

© The Author

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/42756

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