Description
Book SynopsisThis title introduces students to the life, work and ideas of Gottfried Leibniz, taking the reader new to the subject through the key themes of his writings. Gottfried Leibniz was one of the most important and influential philosophers of the seventeenth century and, alongside Descartes and Spinoza, one of the three great Rationalist thinkers. Covering all the key concepts of his work, "Starting with Leibniz" provides an accessible introduction to the ideas of this hugely significant thinker. Thematically structured, the book leads the reader through a thorough overview of the development of Leibniz's thought, resulting in a more thorough understanding of the roots of his philosophical concerns. Offering coverage of the full range of Leibniz's ideas, the book explores his work on substance, mind, body, matter, the existence of God, dynamics and the philosophy of science. Crucially the book introduces the major influences on Leibniz's thought, including Aristotle, Plato, Descartes and Spinoza. This is the ideal introduction for anyone coming to the work of this hugely important thinker for the first time.
Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Life and Works; 2. Leibniz's 'fairy tale'; 3. Substances; 4. Material Body; 5. Minds and Monads; 6. Natural Philosophy; 7. Causation and the Metaphysics of Force; 8. Body and Mind; 9. Space; 10. God and Our Relation to Him; 11. Freedom; 12. The Best of All Possible Worlds; Abbreviations and References; Index.
