Preface - Leibniz: New Essays on Human Understanding.
PREFACE. THE purpose of the series of which the present volume is one, is not, as will be seen by reference to the statement in the initial volume, to sum up in toto the system of any philosopher, but to. give a “critical exposition” of some one masterpiece. In treating the “Nouveaux Essais” of Leibniz, I have found myself obliged, at times, to violate the letter of this expressed.
The New Essays were written in 1703. But meanwhile a painful (34) dispute had broken out between Leibniz and the disciples of Locke and Newton, in which the English, and perhaps Newton himself, were much to blame, and Leibniz thought it impolitic to publish his book.
But, Leibniz proposed monads, which are becoming part of modern creation theories. However, Locke died and the debate never occurred. Instead, Leibniz established correspondence in 1715-16 with Samuel Clark, a disciple of Isaac Newton. This correspondence is an excellent summary of Leibniz's thoughts before he died in 1716. It shows the basic differences between Newton and Leibniz in both.
Leibniz's New Essays Leibniz's thought as presented in the 1'e-w Essays differs from Locke's in the f'.May in two dominating ways; and it differs even more sharply from the bits of the Es.c;ay which Leibniz selects for comment. A difference of temperament One difference is of temperament. In Leibniz we find an unstoppable passion for rigor and precision, for bringing things under sharply.
The Leibniz-De Volder Correspondence: With Selections from the Correspondence between Leibniz and Johann Bernoulli. Ed. and trans. by Paul Lodge. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2013. Over the last century, the most important sources for Leibniz's works have been the editions of C. I. Gerhardt: Leibniz' Mathematische Schriften. Ed. C.I.
Shaun A. Champagne. G.W. Leibniz, in his book New Essays on Human Understanding, (1) argues for the existence of innate ideas. In order to argue for this position, Leibniz uses the dialectical method. Within the dialogue, Theophilus represents Leibniz (who is a rationalist), while Philalethes represents the position of John Locke (who is an empiricist).
The Philosophical Essays and Texts of Leibniz Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you.