_The first unabridged English translation of the correspondence between Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Georg Ernst Stahl detailing their opposing philosophies_ The correspondence between the eighteenth-century mathematician and philosopher G. W. Leibniz and G. E. Stahl, a chemist and physician at the court of King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, known as the Leibniz-Stahl Controversy, is one of the most important intellectual contributions on theoretical issues concerning pre-biological thinking. Editors François Duchesneau and Justin E. H. (...) Smith offer readers the first fully annotated English translation of this fascinating exchange of philosophical views on divine action, the order of nature, causality and teleology, and the soul-body relationship. (shrink)

Bringing together Leibniz's writings on God and religion for the very first time, Leibniz on God and Religion: A Reader reflects the growing importance now placed on Leibniz's philosophical theology. This reader features a wealth of material, from journal articles and book reviews published in Leibniz's lifetime to private notes and essays, as well as items from his correspondence. Organised thematically into the following sections, this reader captures the changes in Leibniz's thinking over the course (...) of his career: The Catholic Demonstrations The existence and nature of God Reason and faith Ethics and the love of God The Bible Miracles and mysteries The churches and their doctrines Grace and predestination Sin, evil, and theodicy The afterlife Non-Christian religions In preparing this reader, Strickland has returned to Leibniz's original manuscripts to ensure accurate translations of key texts, the majority of which have not been available in English before. The reader also contains a number of texts previously unpublished in any form. Alongside the translations, this reader contains an introductory essay, explanatory notes on all of the texts, and suggestions for further reading. This valuable sourcebook enables students of all levels to achieve a well-rounded understanding of Leibniz's philosophical theology. (shrink)

In General Inquiries on the Analysis of Notions and Truths, Leibniz articulates for the first time his favourite solution to the problem of contingency and displays the main features of his logical calculus. Leibniz composed the work in 1686, the same year in which he began to correspond with Arnauld and wrote the Discourse on Metaphysics. General Inquiries supplements these contemporary entries in Leibniz's philosophical oeuvre and demonstrates the intimate connection that links Leibniz's philosophy with the (...) attempt to create a new kind of logic. This edition presents the text and translation of the General Inquiries along with an introduction and commentary. Given the composite structure of the text, where logic and metaphysics strongly intertwine, Mugnai's introduction falls into two sections, respectively dedicated to logic and metaphysics. The first section ('Logic') begins with a preliminary account of Leibniz's project for a universal characteristic and focuses on the relationships between rational grammar and logic, and discusses the general structure and the main ingredients of Leibniz's logical calculus. The second section ('Metaphysics') is centred on the problem of contingency, which occupied Leibniz until the end of his life. Mugnai provides an account of the problem, and details Leibniz's proposed solution, based on the concept of infinite analysis. (shrink)

The Discourse on Metaphysics is one of Leibniz's fundamental works. Written around January 1686, it is the most accomplished systematic expression of Leibniz's philosophy in the 1680s, the period in which Leibniz's philosophy reached maturity. Leibniz's goal in the Discourse is to give a metaphysics for Christianity; that is, to provide the answers that he believes Christians should give to the basic metaphysical questions. Why does the world exist? What is the world like? What kinds of (...) things exist? And what is the place of human beings in the world? To this purpose Leibniz discusses some of the most traditional topics of metaphysics, such as the nature of God, the purpose of God in creating the world, the nature of substance, the possibility of miracles, the nature of our knowledge, free will, and the justice behind salvation and damnation. This volume provides a new translation of the Discourse, complete with a critical introduction and a comprehensive philosophical commentary. (shrink)

In den 90 Paragraphen der sogenannten Monadologie gibt Leibniz eine begriffliche Fassung und perspektivische Auslegung der Grundbegriffe seiner Metaphysik, die durch ihre Stringenz und deduktive Geschlossenheit die Position des Autors in der Philosophiegeschichte wesentlich bestimmt haben. Hier findet sich nicht nur eine ausführliche Diskussion seines 'Monade'-Begriffs, sondern auch die Verbindung zur 'prästabilierten Harmonie', in der die Gesetze des Körpers und der Seele zur Übereinstimmung kommen. Die neue, zweisprachige Ausgabe ist ausführlich kommentiert.

1. Reihe. Allgemeiner politischer und historischer Briefwechsel. v. <1-11, 13 >--2. Reihe. Philosophischer Briefwechsel. v. <1, 3 >--3. Reihe. Mathematischer naturwissenschaftlicher und technischer Briefwechsel --4. Reihe. Politische Schriften. v. <1-3 > --6. Reihe. Philosophische Schriften. v. <1-3, 6 >.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain (...) in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain (...) in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be (...) preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

Die Generales Inquisitiones von 1686 stellen die wichtigste geschlossene Arbeit Leibniz' zu Fragen der Logik dar. Wie in dem ebenfalls 1686 verfaßten Discours de Métaphysique (PhB 260) wird hier Leibniz' Auffassung deutlich, in seinem Denken eine gewisse systematische Geschlossenheit gefunden zu haben.

About the text and translation -- The Monadology -- The structure of the Monadology -- The Monadology : text with running commentary -- Appendix: Theodicy -- The principles of nature and grace, founded on reason -- Leibniz to Nicole Remond : appendix on monads.

Betrachtungen über die Erkenntnis,die Wahrheit und die Ideen.--Übber die Verbesserung der ersten Philosophie und den Begriff der Substanz.--Neues System der Natur und der Verbindung der Substanzen sowie dier Vereinigung zwischen Seel und Körper.--Über den ersten Ursprung der Dinge.--Betrachtungen über die Lehre von einem einzigen allumfassenden Geiste.

J'ai fait dernierement (etant a un endroit ou quelques jours durant je n'avais rien a faire) un petit discours de Metaphysique, dont je serais bien aise d'avoir le sentiment de M. Arnauld. Leibniz annoncait en ces termes, en fevrier 1686, a l'un de ses nombreux correspondants, l'achevement tout recent de ces fameux trente sept articles. Ce discours offre, avec une remarquable densite, le premier grand expose d'ensemble des principes generaux d'une metaphysique qui jusque la se cherchait encore a travers (...) de nombreux travaux partiels; c'est cette synthese, qui sera bientot reprise par d'innombrables opuscules, qui inspirera encore les grandes oeuvres de maturite (Theodicee, Monadologie, Principes de la nature et de la grace). (shrink)

_Discourse on Metaphysics and Other Essays_ contains complete translations of the two essays that constitute the best introductions to Leibniz’s complex thought: _Discourse on Metaphysics_ of 1686 and _Monadology_ of 1714. These are supplemented with two essays of special interest to the student of modern philosophy, _On the Ultimate Origination of Things_ of 1697 and the Preface to his New Essays of 1703-1705. The translations are taken from Leibniz, _Philosophical Essays_, edited and translated by Roger Ariew and Daniel (...) Garber (Hackett, 1989). (shrink)

Composti tra il 1703 e il 1704, e pubblicati postumi da R.E. Raspe nel 1765, i Nuovi saggi sullíintelletto umano costituiscono un trattato di filosofia della conoscenza, ma scandito secondo la prospettiva metafisica elaborata dall’«autore del sistema dell’armonia prestabilita», come suona il sottotitolo del volume. Sono redatti in forma di dialogo tra Filalete, seguace di Locke, e Teofilo, portavoce di Leibniz, e i loro capitoli seguono pari passo, a mo’ di commentario analitico, quelli del Saggio sullíintelletto umano di Locke. (...) Gli estremi della disputa tra i due filosofi, imperniata per lo più sul tema della teoria della conoscenza in generale, sono riassumibili, da un lato, nell’assioma empirista lockiano, di tradizione aristotelico-tomista, secondo cui nihil est in intellectu quod non fuerit in sensu (niente è nell’intelletto che non sia già stato nella sensibilità), e, dall’altro lato, nella risposta corrosiva e tagliente di Leibniz: excipe: nisi ipse intellectus (a eccezione dell’intelletto stesso). Ma, oltre al confronto con la posizione teorica di Locke, Leibniz fornisce al lettore i fondamenti e i principi del proprio sistema speculativo, tra i quali spiccano: il concetto di monade quale sostanza individuale, inestesa, dotata di attività; la teoria delle piccole percezioni, intese come processi e stati mentali inconsci (teoria che apre la strada alla scoperta dell’inconscio); la lex continui, ovvero la legge della connessione totale del mondo, che non tollera né salti né vuoti; il principium individuationis, basato sul principio metafisico di identità degli indiscernibili; il principio ontologico dell’infinita molteplicità e diversità del reale; la massima secondo cui «il fondo delle cose è ovunque identico». I Nuovi saggi sullíintelletto umano furono pubblicati postumi da R.E. Raspe nel 1765 in G.W. Leibniz, Oeuvres philosophiques latines et franÁoises, Amsterdam-Leipzig. La traduzione è stata condotta sull’edizione critica curata da A. Robinet e H Schepers: G.W. Leibniz, Nouveaux Essais, Akademie Verlag, Berlin 1962, con recezione dei corrigenda acclusi nella ristampa del 1990. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be (...) preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)