The Cambridge Companion to LeibnizNicholas Jolley Gottfried Leibniz was a remarkable thinker who made fundamental contributions not only to philosophy, but also to the development of modern mathematics and science. At the centre of Leibniz's philosophy stands his metaphysics, an ambitious attempt to discover the nature of reality through the use of unaided reason. This volume provides a systematic and comprehensive account of the full range of Leibniz's thought, exploring the metaphysics in detail and showing its subtle and complex relationship to his views on logic, language, physics, and theology. Other chapters examine the intellectual context of his thought and its reception in the eighteenth century. New readers and nonspecialists will find this the most accessible and comprehensive guide to Leibniz currently available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Leibniz. |
Contents
The early period to the Discourse on Metaphysics | |
The theory of knowledge ROBERT MCRAE | |
Leibnizs ontological and cosmological arguments | |
Perfection and happiness in the best possible world | |
Common terms and phrases
aggregate andthe argument Aristotelian Aristotle Arnauld body bythe canbe Cartesian cause claim complete conceived concept conservation contingent truths corporeal substances correspondence cosmological argument definition Descartes Discourse on Metaphysics discussion distinct divine doctrine doesnot Dynamica Essays existence explained express follows force fromthe G VII God’s GVII human ideas identity of indiscernibles individual substance infinite inhis inthe isnot isthe itis laws Leibniz argues Leibniz says Leibniz wrote Leibniz’s Metaphysics Leibniz’s view letter logic Malebranche mathematical matter mechanical mechanical philosophy mind Monadology monads motion necessary Newton ofhis ofLeibniz’s ofthe onthe ontological ontological argument perceptions perfection phenomena philosophy physics possible worlds primitive principle of sufficient principleof problem proposition relations Scholastic Scholasticism sense seventeenth century soul Spinoza substantial sufficient reason thatis thatthe Theodicy theory thereis thesame things thought tobe tothe transubstantiation true understanding unity universal characteristic variety VI.iii VI.vi withthe Wolff writings