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Observing that Leibniz "could manage simultaneously all the sciences," Bernard de Fontenelle half-seriously proposed that the student of his work should "make several savants from only one Leibniz." Fortunately, the 13 essays contained in The Cambridge Companion to Leibniz ought to make it unnecessary to dissect the great 17th-century polymath. The contributors, all distinguished scholars of Leibniz's work (strangely, though not objectionably per se, also all English speakers), have created a guide suitable for specialists and nonspecialists alike, well worth the attention of anyone interested in Leibniz's philosophy.
Roger Ariew's biographical essay and Stuart Brown's essay on the 17th-century intellectual backdrop help to situate Leibniz in his milieu. At the center of the Companion, however, are the essays that deal with Leibniz's metaphysics. His early metaphysical work is discussed by Christina Mercer and R.C. Sleigh Jr., who reveal, surprisingly, that it was ultimately motivated by his ambitious project to reconcile Roman Catholics and Protestants. Donald Rutherford examines Leibniz's later metaphysical work, dominated by the theory of monads, which "posits that the only fully real beings are unextended, soul-like substances." David Blumenfeld explains Leibniz's ontological and cosmological arguments for the existence of God; he also discusses Leibniz's famous dictum--ridiculed by Voltaire in Candide--that this is the best of all possible worlds. Other essays deal with Leibniz's work in logic, the philosophy of language, epistemology, physics, and moral philosophy. The Companion concludes with Catherine Wilson's insightful discussion of the reception of Leibniz's philosophy, although she unfortunately ends her historical survey with Kant. --Glenn Branch
Review
"...[this book] will prove to be a valuable compendium for the student of Leibniz who wishes to refresh her recollection of central themes in Leibniz or to acquaint herself with new developments in Leibniz scholarship." Auslegung
"This is a book Leibniz buffs can curl up with and one in which novices can find their bearings." Cabadian Philosophical Reviews
"Students of seventeenth-century history of science must get this book for their libraries. It is the single best conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Leibniz available." George Gale, Isis Book Reviews
"I have been able to write about only a little of the wealth that this volume offers us. It should be one of the first books to which philosophers and students turn for help in understanding Leibniz." The Philosophical Review
"As with the previous volumes in the Cambridge "Companion" series, this one conforms to the highest standards of research and scholarships....the essays are accessible to anyone with an interest in discovering the richness of Leibniz's philosophy. This collection provides valuable insights for the person newly acquainted with Leibniz, controversial new interpretations for those who are already familiar with the canon." Choice
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