In philosophy, a fundamental inner drive or effort by which something strives to continue existing or acting.
From Latin conatus, literally 'an attempt or effort,' from conari (to attempt), this term was revived by philosophers like Spinoza to describe the self-preserving tendency in all things.
Spinoza and Leibniz used conatus to explain why everything—from atoms to humans—naturally resists destruction; it's like the universe's built-in motivation to keep existing.
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