Uchii, Soshichi (2015) Monadology and Music. [Preprint]

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Abstract

In this paper, I will present an analogy between Leibniz’s Monadology and musical works. A musical work is usually written down in a score. It is divided into many voice parts, and for every part, it gives all musical information necessary for performance. Now, since any such score specifies all notes of that musical work, at once, it can be regarded as atemporal;
musical time does not flow in a score. And it does not specify spatial relations among the voice parts. Thus, the musical work described in a score exists as an informational entity. A score is a kind of “program” for playing. This program contains invariant structures, and such structures define the identity of the work. On the other hand, it allows freedom for performers. Any performer has to “interpret” the work, and his or her performance is an
expression of that interpretation. Any such interpretation may be regarded as a kind of “coding” for transforming the specified invariant structures into actual sounds in space and time. This dual aspect of musical works is the basis of my analogy. It should be conducive to improving our interpretation of Monadology.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Uchii, Soshichi uchii@mac.com
Keywords:	Leibniz, monadology, musical score, space and time, invariant structure, interpretation, information
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Computation/Information General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science Specific Sciences > Physics
Depositing User:	Dr. Soshichi Uchii
Date Deposited:	09 Mar 2015 19:55
Last Modified:	09 Mar 2015 19:55
Item ID:	11365
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Computation/Information General Issues > History of Philosophy of Science Specific Sciences > Physics
Date:	2015
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11365

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