Showing results by author "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz" in All Categories

This Leibniz collection contains some of the philosopher’s most important works and ideas, spans three decades and illuminates the fascinating intellectual journey undertaken by him in his quest for truth. A prodigious polymath, Leibniz was a mathematician, philosopher, physicist and statesman and engaged with a sweeping range of ideas and disciplines, striving throughout his life to be at the cutting edge of scientific thinking. These Principal Essays are arranged in chronological order. 

Written in 1686 by the celebrated German polymath Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, Discourse on Metaphysics is a short, early work in which Leibniz explains how the Earth, which was created by God—an undeniably perfect being—is therefore blessed with the same purity and perfection as its creator.

The Monadology (La Monadologie, 1714) is one of Gottfried Leibniz’s most celebrated works, encapsulating his later philosophical ideas. In this concise text, composed of around 90 paragraphs, Leibniz presents a fascinating metaphysics of simple substances, or monads. He proposes a unique modification of occasionalism, as developed by later Cartesians, suggesting that there are countless substances, each programmed to function in a specific manner, all harmoniously coordinated with one another. This concept of pre-established harmony offers a solution to the mind-body problem, albeit at the ...

Dive into the profound thoughts of the esteemed philosopher and polymath, Leibniz, in this concise yet impactful treatise on metaphysics. Here, he explores the intricate relationship between God and universal order, delves into the essence of individual substances—including spirits—and examines the connection between the soul and the physical body. Engaging with the ideas of previous scholastic thinkers and even Plato, Leibniz tackles complex themes such as free will, sin in the light of Gods omniscience, and critiques Descartes interpretations within the context of physical laws. He ...