The Continuum Companion to Leibniz

Description

G. W. Leibniz (1646-1716) was one of the great polymaths of the modern world. As well as being among the greatest Rationalist metaphysicians of the post-medieval age, he built the first mechanical calculator capable of multiplication and division, and developed the binary, base-two system. As a physicist, he made advances in mechanics, coining the term "kinetic energy." As a mathematician, Leibniz invented calculus independently of Newton, and it is his notation, not Newton's, which is used to this day. Perhaps best known for the atomic concept of the monad, Leibniz also made outstanding contributions to symbolic logic, aesthetics, history, linguistics, and political theory. With entries written by leading scholars in the field of Modern Philosophy, this Companion is an accessible and authoritative reference guide to Leibniz's life, work and. The book includes extended biographical sketches and an up-to-date and fully comprehensive bibliography. Gathering all these resources, this book will be an extremely valuable tool for those interested in Leibniz and the era in which he wrote.

Brandon C. Look is University Research Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Kentucky, USA. His research focuses on the history of early modern philosophy, especially on the thought of Spinoza, Leibniz, and Kant. He also works on issues in contemporary metaphysics, epistemology, logic, and the history and philosophy of science. He is the co-editor and -translator (with Donald Rutherford) of The Leibniz-Des Bosses Correspondence (Yale University Press, 2007) and the author of Leibniz and the 'Vinculum Substantiale' (Steiner, 1999).

The Continuum Companion to Leibniz is in many respects a splendid achievement... the individual contributions are of an exceptional quality. The volume testifies to the immense progress in Leibniz scholarship achieved by Anglo-American historians of philosophy in the last decades. While most contributions undoubtedly will prove too advanced for undergraduate students, the book is an excellent resource for graduate students and professional philosophers wishing to acquire an idea of what top Leibniz research looks like today. -- Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews