Gottfried Wilhelm <strong>Leibniz</strong> 16461716 was hailed by Bertrand Russell as one ofthe supreme intellects of all time. A towering figure in Seventeenth... » 

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz 16461716 was hailed by Bertrand Russell as one ofthe supreme intellects of all time. A towering figure in Seventeenth centuryphilosophy his complex thought has been championed and satirized in equalmeasure most famously in Voltaires Candide.In this outstanding introduction to his philosophy Nicholas Jolley introducesand assesses the whole of Leibnizs philosophy. Beginning with an introductionto Leibnizs life and work he carefully introduces the core elements ofLeibnizs metaphysics his theories of substance identity and individuationmonads and space and time and his important debate over the nature of spaceand time with Newtons champion Samuel Clarke.He then introduces Leibnizs theories of mind knowledge and innate ideasshowing how Lenin anticipated the distinction between conscious and unconsciousstates before examining his theory of free will and the problem of evil. Animportant feature of the book is its introduction to Leibnizsmoral andpolitical philosophy an overlooked aspect of his work.The final chapter assesses legacy and the impact of his philosophy onphilosophy as a whole particularly on the work of Immanuel Kant. ThroughoutNicholas Jolley places Lenin in relation to some of the other greatphilosophers such as Descartes Spinoza and Locke and discusses Leibnizs keyworks such as the Monadology and Discourse on Metaphysics. «