Leibniz's Key Philosophical Writings A Guide

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716) is one of the most important and influential philosophers of the modern period. He offered a wealth of original ideas in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and philosophical theology, among them his signature doctrines on substance and monads, pre-established harmony, and optimism. This volume contains introductory chapters on eleven of Leibniz's key philosophical writings, from youthful works ("Confessio philosophi", "De summa rerum"), seminal middle-period writings ("Discourse on Metaphysics", "New System"), to masterpieces of his maturity ("Monadology", "Discourse on the Natural Theology of the Chinese"). It also covers his two main philosophical books (New Essays on Human Understanding and Theodicy), and three of his most important philosophical correspondences with Antoine Arnauld, Burcher De Volder, and Samuel Clarke.

Written by internationally-renowned experts on Leibniz, the chapters offer clear, accessible accounts of the ideas and arguments of these key writings, along with valuable information about their composition and context. By focusing on the primary texts, they enable readers to attain a solid understanding of what each text says and why, and give them the confidence to read the texts themselves. Offering a detailed and chronological view of Leibniz's philosophy and its development through some of his most important writings, this volume is an invaluable guide for those encountering Leibniz for the first time.

Paul Lodge, University of Oxford,Lloyd Strickland, Manchester Metropolitan University

Paul Lodge is Professor of Philosophy and a Fellow at Mansfield College, University of Oxford. He is editor and translator of The Leibniz-De Volder Correspondence (Yale University Press, 2013), co-editor (with Tom Stoneham) of Locke and Leibniz on Substance (Routledge, 2015), editor of Leibniz and His Correspondents (Cambridge University Press, 2004), and has published numerous articles and book chapters on the philosophy of Leibniz.


Lloyd Strickland is Professor of Philosophy and Intellectual History at Manchester Metropolitan University. In addition to numerous journal articles he has published nine books, including Leibniz on God and Religion (Bloomsbury, 2016), Tercentenary Essays on the Philosophy and Science of Leibniz (Palgrave, 2017, with Julia Weckend and Erik Vynckier), Proofs of God in Early Modern Europe (Baylor University Press, 2018), and Leibniz's Legacy and Impact (Routledge, 2019, with Julia Weckend).

Introduction, Including a Sketch of Leibniz's Life and Philosophical Works, Paul Lodge and Lloyd Strickland
1. "Confessio philosophi", Lucy Sheaf
2. "De summa rerum", Mogens L?rke
3. "Discourse on Metaphysics", Lloyd Strickland
4. The Correspondence with Arnauld, Julia Jorati
5. "New System of the Nature of Substances...", Julia Borcherding
6. The Correspondence with De Volder, John Whipple
7. New Essays on Human Understanding, Martha Brandt Bolton
8. The Theodicy, Paul Lodge
9. "The Monadology", Lloyd Strickland
10. "Discourse on the Natural Theology of the Chinese", Daniel J. Cook
11. The Correspondence with Clarke, Gregory Brown