Are monads considered to be alive?

Monads, a concept primarily introduced by the philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, are often regarded as simple substances that represent a fundamental unit of existence and perception. In Leibniz's philosophy, each monad is a unique, indivisible entity that reflects the universe from its perspective, possessing qualities such as perception and appetition, which can be interpreted as forms of awareness or striving.

The reasoning behind considering monads as alive lies in their intrinsic ability to perceive and influence their own state through these perceptions. This view suggests that life can be attributed not merely to biological organisms but also to these simple substances, which are in constant interaction and dynamism as a representation of the universe. Leibniz argued that everything has some degree of life or activity, thus suggesting that monads, in their own right, embody a form of life through their capacity for perception and change.

This perspective positions monads as having a kind of existence and experience, akin to being alive, albeit in a non-physical sense. Therefore, within the context of philosophical discussions on monads and their characteristics, they can be reasonably considered to possess a form of life, supporting the assertion that they are, in fact, alive.