Final answer:
Leibniz held that innate ideas were tendencies. These ideas are inherent to human beings and guide our thinking and understanding of the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
Leibniz held that innate ideas were tendencies. He believed that there are ideas and concepts that are inherent to human beings, rather than being acquired through experience. These innate ideas, according to Leibniz, are like predispositions or inclinations that guide our thinking and understanding of the world.
For example, Leibniz argued that humans have an innate tendency to recognize and understand the concept of causation. This means that even before we have any specific experiences of cause and effect, we have a natural inclination to think in terms of cause and effect relationships.
Leibniz's view stands in contrast to other philosophers, such as John Locke, who believed that the mind is a blank slate at birth and all knowledge comes from experience.