Against the assertion of the infinite subdivisibility of matter whose
ground of proof is purely mathematical, objections have been alleged by
the Monadists. These objections lay themselves open, at first sight, to
suspicion, from the fact that they do not recognize the clearest
mathematical proofs as propositions relating to the constitution of
space, in so far as it is really the formal condition of the
possibility of all matter, but regard them merely as inferences from
abstract but arbitrary conceptions, which cannot have any application
to real things. Just as if it were possible to imagine another mode of
intuition than that given in the primitive intuition of space; and just
as if its à priori determinations did not apply to everything, the
existence of which is possible, from the fact alone of its filling
space. If we listen to them, we shall find ourselves required to
cogitate, in addition to the mathematical point, which is simple—not,
however, a part, but a mere limit of space—physical points, which are
indeed likewise simple, but possess the peculiar property, as parts of
space, of filling it merely by their aggregation. I shall not repeat
here the common and clear refutations of this absurdity, which are to
be found everywhere in numbers: every one knows that it is impossible
to undermine the evidence of mathematics by mere discursive
conceptions; I shall only remark that, if in this case philosophy
endeavours to gain an advantage over mathematics by sophistical
artifices, it is because it forgets that the discussion relates solely
to Phenomena and their conditions. It is not sufficient to find the
conception of the simple for the pure conception of the composite, but
we must discover for the intuition of the composite (matter), the
intuition of the simple. Now this, according to the laws of
sensibility, and consequently in the case of objects of sense, is
utterly impossible. In the case of a whole composed of substances,
which is cogitated solely by the pure understanding, it may be
necessary to be in possession of the simple before composition is
possible. But this does not hold good of the Totum substantiale
phaenomenon, which, as an empirical intuition in space, possesses the
necessary property of containing no simple part, for the very reason
that no part of space is simple. Meanwhile, the Monadists have been
subtle enough to escape from this difficulty, by presupposing intuition
and the dynamical relation of substances as the condition of the
possibility of space, instead of regarding space as the condition of
the possibility of the objects of external intuition, that is, of
bodies. Now we have a conception of bodies only as phenomena, and, as
such, they necessarily presuppose space as the condition of all
external phenomena. The evasion is therefore in vain; as, indeed, we
have sufficiently shown in our Æsthetic. If bodies were things in
themselves, the proof of the Monadists would be unexceptionable.