Annotated bibliography of Leibniz's works in English: First part: Anthologies (I)

Contents of this Section

The Philosophy of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

First part: Anthologies (I) (Current page)

Second Part: Anthologies (II). Works 1663-1686

Third part: Works 1686-1716

On the website History of Logic"

Bibliography of Leibniz on Logic and Semiotics:

Studies in English: A - K

Studies in English: L - Z

First part: Anthologies (I)

Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm. 1890. The Philosophical Works of Leibnitz. New Haven: Tuttle, Morehouse & Taylor, Publishers.

Translated from the original Latin and French. With notes by George Martin Duncan.

"This translation has been made with the hope of rendering the speculations of one of the greatest of modern thinkers more accessible to ordinary students. Whatever estimate may be taken of the intrinsic merits of these speculations, their influence has been too marked to allow the student of philosophy to ignore them. He will here find all that is necessary to enable him to gain a comprehensive insight into Leibnitz s own system and to understand the objections found by him to the philosophy of his great predecessors, Descartes, Malebranche, Spinoza, Locke. All the important philosophical opuscules are given entire; also the abridgment of the Theodicée and extracts from the Nouveaux Essais. A few notes and references have been added to help the student. The translations have been made directly from the original Latin and French by my wife and myself, the only exception being the Letters to Clarke, which are republished from Clarke's own translation. In making the translations Erdmann's Leibnitii Opera Philosophica (Berlin, 1840), Janet's Oeuvres Philosophiques de Leibniz (Paris, 1866), Gerhardt's Die philosophischen Schriften von G. W. Leibniz (Berlin, 1875-1890), and Foucher de Careil's Refutation Inédite de Spinoza par Leibniz (Paris, 1854), have been used." (Preface)

Contents: I On the Philosophy of Descartes, (1679-1680) 1; II Notes on Spinoza's Ethics, (c. 1670) 11; III Thoughts on Knowledge, Truth and Ideas, (1684) 27; IV On a General Principle useful in the Explanation of the Laws of Nature, (1687) 33; V Statement of personal views on Metaphysics and Physics, (1690) 37; VI Does the Essence of Body consist in extension?, (1691) 41; VII Animadversions on Descartes Principles of Philosophy, books 1 and 2, (1692) 46; VIII Reply of Leibnitz to the Extract of the Letter of Foucher, canon of Dijon, published in the Journal des Savans of March 16, (1693) 64; IX On the Philosophy of Descartes, (1693) 66; X On the reform of Metaphysics and of the Notion of Substance, (1694) 68; XI A New System of Nature, and of the Interaction of Substances, as well as of the Union which exists between the Soul and the Body, (1695) 71; XII The Reply of Foucher to Leibnitz concerning his New System, (1695) 81; XIII Explanation of the New System, (1695) 85; XIV Second Explanation of the New System, (1696) 90; XV Third Explanation of the New System, (1696) 92; XVI Observations on Locke s Essay on Human Understanding, (1696) 94; XVII On the Ultimate Origin of Things, (1697) 100; XVIII On Certain Consequences of the Philosophy of Descartes, (1697) 107; XIX On Nature in Itself (1698) 112; XX Ethical Definitions, (1697-1698) 127; XXI On the Cartesian Demonstration of the Existence of God, (1700-1701) 132; XXII Considerations on the Doctrine of a Universal Spirit, (1702)139; XXIII On the Supersensible in Knowledge and on the Immaterial in Nature, (1702) 149; XXIV Explanation of Points in his Philosophy, )1704) 159; XXV On the Principle of Life, (1705) 163; XXVI Necessity and Contingency, (1707) 170; XXVII Refutation of Spinoza, (c 1708) 175; XXVIII Remarks on the Doctrine of Malebranche, (1708) 185; XXIX On the Active Force of the Body, the Soul, and the Souls of Brutes, (1710) 190; XXX Abridgment of the Theodicy, (1710) 194; XXXI On Wisdom the Art of Reasoning, etc., (1711) 205; XXXII The Principles of Nature and of Grace, (1714) 209; XXXIII The Monadology, (1714) 218; XXXIV On the Doctrine of Malebranche, (1715) 233; XXXV Five Letters to Samuel Clarke, (1716) 238; XXXVI Extracts from the Nouveaux Essais, (1704) 287; Notes 363-393.
Latta, Robert, ed. 1898. Leibniz: The Monadology and Other Philosophical Writings. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

"The endeavour of the book is to make the Monadology clear to students. I cannot agree with Dillmann in treating it as of little importance. Leibniz himself expressly intended it to be a compact and ordered statement of the views he had expounded in many scattered papers and in his somewhat desultory Theodicée, the only book he published. There is evidence of this in his correspondence and in the fact that he annotated the Monadology with references to passages in the Theodicée. My original intention was to publish a translation of these passages along with the Monadology, but on re-consideration it seemed better to translate several short papers illustrating different parts of Leibniz's system and explaining its growth.

Thus the Monadology, as being the centre of the book, is printed first of the translations (although in date it is last), while the other writings follow in chronological order. The only disadvantage of this arrangement is that it places the Principles of Nature and of Grace, which is most akin to the Monadology, farthest away from it.

If I might venture to suggest to the student the way in which the book should be read, I would recommend him first to read Part I of the Introduction, then the Monadology (without the notes), afterwards Parts II and III of the Introduction, the Monadology again (with the notes), the other translations, and finally Part IV of the Introduction, in which I have endeavoured to place the philosophy of Leibniz in relation to the systems which came before and after his." (pp. V-VI)

References

Eduard Dillmann, Eine neue Darstellung der Leibnizischen Monadenlehre auf Grund der Quellen, Leipzig: O. R. Reisland, 1891.

Contents: Preface V-VII; Introduction: Part I. Life and Works of Leibniz 1; II. General Principles of the Philosophy of Leibniz 21; III. Detailed Statement of the Philosophy of Leibniz 74; A. Leibniz’s Mathematics in relation to his Philosophy 74; B. Matter 86; C. Organism 108; D. Self-Consciousness 120; Theory of Knowledge 121; Ethics 137; IV. Historical and Critical Estimate of the Philosophy of Leibniz 151; Appendix A. Explanation of the Pre-established Harmony 200; B. Formation of the Idea of Space 202; C. Meaning of Cause 204; D. Leibniz’s Logic 206; E. Kant on his relation to Leibniz 208; The Monadology (1714) 215; Appendix F. Leibniz and Bayle on the multiplicity in the Monad 272; Appendix G. Proof of the Existence of God 274;

Other philosophical writings of Leibniz

On the Notions of Right and Justice (1693) 281; New System of the Nature of Substances and of the Communication between them (1695) 297; Explanation of the New System (1696) 319; Appendix H. On the Elements of Extension 329; Third Explanation of the New System (1696) 331; On the Ultimate Origination of Things (1697) 337; Appendix I. Growth of Leibniz’s Theories regarding Force and Motion 351; New Essays on the Human Understanding — Introduction (1704) 355; Principles of Nature and of Grace (1714) 405; Index 425-437.
Russell, Bertrand. 1900. A Critical Exposition of the Philosophy of Leibniz. London: George Allen & Unwin.

Second edition with a new preface 1937.

Appendix: Extracts from Leibniz Classified According to Subjects, pp. 241-367.

"I have added an Appendix of classified extracts, in which it has been my object to include at least one definite pronouncement, wherever one could be found, on every point in Leibniz’s philosophy. On moot points, or points on which he is inconsistent, I have in general given several quotations. I have given the date of a passage whenever it is not later than 1686, or seems important for some other reason. Passages referred to in the text are generally quoted in the corresponding paragraph of the Appendix, except when they have been already referred to and quoted in an earlier paragraph; but passages quoted in the text are in general not repeated in the Appendix. For convenience of reference, I have made an index of the Appendix, so that any passage contained in it can be found at once by the reference. I have translated all passages quoted, and have nowhere assumed any knowledge of a foreign language. I have also endeavoured to assume no previous acquaintance with Leibniz beyond what can be obtained from Mr. Latta’s excellent translations. In quoting passages translated by him I have in general followed his translation but the translations of Mr. Duncan and Mr. Langley I have usually found it necessary to correct. In quoting from the papers against Clarke, I have followed Clarke’s translation wherever this is not seriously inaccurate." (Preface to the First Edition, XXII-XXIII)
Child, James Mark, ed. 1920. The Early Mathematical Manuscripts of Leibniz. Chicago: Open Court.

Translated from the Latin Texts published by Carl Immanuel Gerhardt with critical and historical notes.

"A study of the early mathematical work of Leibniz seems to be of importance for at least two reasons. In the first place, Leibniz was certainly not alone among great men in presenting in his early work almost all the important mathematical ideas contained in his mature work. In the second place, the main ideas of his philosophy are to be attributed to his mathematical work, and not vice versa. The manuscripts of Leibniz, which have been preserved with such great care in the Royal Library at Hanover, show, perhaps more clearly than his published work, the great importance which Leibniz attached to suitable notation in mathematics and, it may be added, in logic generally. He was, perhaps, the earliest to realize fully and correctly the important influence of a calculus on discovery. The almost mechanical operations which we go through when we are using a calculus enable us to discover facts of mathematics or logic without any of that expenditure of the energy of thought which is so necessary when we are dealing with a department of knowledge that has not yet been reduced to the domain of operation of a calculus." (Preface, p. III)

Contents: I. Introduction 3; II. 1. The “Postscript” to the Letter to James Bernoulli, dated April, 1703 11; III. 2. “Historia et Origo Calculi Differentialis” 22; IV. Manuscripts of the period 1673-1675. 3. Three manuscripts, dated Aug., 1673, Oct., 1674, Jan., 1675 59; 4. Manuscript, dated Oct. 25, 1675 62; 5. Manuscript, dated Oct. 26, 1675 68; 6. Manuscript, dated Oct. 29, 1675 72; 7. Manuscript, dated Nov. 1, 1675 84; 8. Manuscript, dated Nov. 11, 1675 90; 9. Manuscript, dated Nov. 21, 1675 103; 10. Manuscript, dated Nov. 29, 1675 110; V. Manuscripts of the period 1676, 1677, and a later undated manuscript. 11. Manuscript, dated June 26, 1676 115; 12. Manuscript, dated July, 1676 116; 13. Manuscript, undated (after visit to Hudde) 118; 14. Manuscript, dated Nov., 1676 122; 15. Manuscript, dated July 11, 1677 127; 16. Manuscript, undated (revision of preceding) 134; 17. Reply to Nieuwentijt, undated 144; VI. Gerhardt’s Essay, Leibniz in London, with three Manuscripts of Leibniz 159; VII. Gerhardt’s Essay, Leibniz and Pascal, with letters to Tschimhaus and M. de l’HospitaI and a manuscript of Leibniz 196; VIII. Conclusions 228-234; Bibliography 235; index-236-238.
Wiener, Philip P., ed. 1951. Leibniz Selections. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.

"The wide range of Leibniz’s intellectual interests was not unusual for the scientists and philosophers of his time, but few thinkers since Aristotle ever produced writings on so vast and varied a scale. They include thousands of letters and innumerable essays, finished and fragmentary, long and short, most of them posthumously published and many still unpublished. They deal with special and general topics in logic, mathematics, mechanics and mechanical inventions, biology and medicine, psychology and epistemology, metaphysics and theology, ethics and jurisprudence. There are also military and diplomatic plans and proposals, philological theories, documented researches in the medieval history of the Holy Roman Empire and the genealogy of the royal family of Hanover, projects for the reunion of the Protestant and Catholic Churches and for perpetual peace, and for the founding of academies of arts and sciences all over Europe on the model of the British Royal Society and the French Academy to which Leibniz had been elected. Only a few of the forty large volumes planned by the Prussian Academy as a definitive edition have appeared, and it is unlikely that the task will be completed in this century." (Introduction, p. XII)

Contents: Phlip P. Wiener: Introduction XI-LI;

I. On Method.

1. From Elements of Law and Justice (1669-1670) 1; 2. On the Method of Universality (1674) 3; 2a. General Geometry and the Method of Universals (1674) 5; 3. Dialogue on the Connection Between Things and Words (1677) 6; 4. Preface to the General Science (1677) 12; 5. Towards a Universal Characteristic (1677) 17; 5a. Principles of a Logical Calculus (c. 1679) 26; 5b. A Fragment on Logical Syntax 28; 6. Precepts for Advancing the Sciences and Arts (1680) 29; 7. Discourse Touching the Method of Certitude and the Art of Discovery 46; 8. The Art of Discovery (1685) 58; 9. On True Method in Philosophy and Theology (c. 1686) 58; 10. On a General Principle Useful for the Explanation of the Laws of Nature (Letter to Bayle, 1687) 65; 11. On Some Philosophical Axioms and Mathematical Fictions (Letter to Foucher, 1692) 70; 12. The Horizon of Human Doctrine 73; 13. On Wisdom (c. 1693) 77; 14. On the Logic of Probability (1704, 1714) 82; 15. On Geometrical Method and the Method of Metaphysics (1712) 89;

II. First Principles: Foundations of the sciences.

1. On Aristotle’s and Descartes’ Theories of Matter: Fragment (c. 1677) 90; 2. The Exigency to Exist in Essences: Principle of Plenitude 91; 2a. The Principle of Sufficient Reason 93; 2b. Identity in Individual Substances and True Propositions (1686) 96; 2c. On the Actual Infinite 98; 3. Whether the Essence of a Body Consists in Extension (1691) 100; 3a. Further Discussion of the Same Subject (1693, 1697) 102; 4. New System of Nature (1696) and Second Explanation of the New System (1695) 106; 5. Specimen Dynamicum (1695) 119; 6. On Nature in Itself (1698) 137; 7. On Substance as Active Force (Vis Viva) vs Mere Extension (Letters to De Voider, 1699-1703) 156; 7a. Further Discussion of Vis Viva (Letter to Bayle, 1702) 181; 8. On the Principle of Continuity (Letter to Varignon, 1702) 184; 8a. Further Discussion of Continuity (Letter to Remond de Montmort, 1715) 188; 9. Considerations on the Principle of Life, and on Plastic Natures, by the Author of the Pre-established Harmony (1705) 190; 10. On Biology and Geology (From Letter to Bourguet, 1714) 199; 11. Metaphysical Foundations of Mathematics (1715) 201; 12. On Newton’s Mathematical Principles of Philosophy (Letters to Samuel Clarke, 1715—1716) 216;

III. Theory of Knowledge and Metaphysics.

1. What is an Idea? (c. 1676) 281; 2. Reflections on Knowledge, Truth, and Ideas (1684) 283; 3. Discourse on Metaphysics (1686) 290; 4. On the Ultimate Origin of Things (1697) 345; 5. On the Supersensible Element in Knowledge and the Immaterial in Nature (1702) 355; 6. New Essays on the Understanding (1704) 367; 7. On Necessity and Contingency (Letter to Coste, 1707) 480; 8. Refutation of Spinoza (c. 1708) 485; 9. Remarks on Malebranche’s Opinion that We See All Things in God, with References to Locke’s Examination of It (c. 1708) 497; 10. On the Active Force of Body, On the Soul and on the Soul of Brutes (Letter to Wagner, 1710) 503; 11. The Theodicy: Abridgement (1710) 509; 12. Principles of Nature and of Grace (1714) 522; 13. The Monadology (1714) 533; 14. On the Doctrine of Malebranche (Letter to Remond de Montmort, 1715) 552;

IV. Ethics, Law, and Civilization.

1. On the Notions of Right and Justice (1693) 559; 2. Ethical Definitions (1697-1698) 564; 3. On Destiny or Mutual Dependence 570; 4. New Proposals 576; 5. Essay on a New Plan of a Certain Science 582; 6. An Odd Thought Concerning a New Sort of Exhibition (1675) 585; 7. On an Academy of Arts and Sciences (Letter to Peter the Great, 1716) 594-599.

Table of Sources of Selections in This Volume 601-606.
Schrecker, Paul, ed. 1965. Monadology and Other Philosophical Essays. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill.

Translated by Paul Schrecker and Anne Martin Schrecker. With an Introduction and Notes by Paul Schrecker.

"One may consider it a general rule that Leibniz wrote in Latin the books and the philosophic and scientific treatises destined for the restricted public of savants, and in French those by which he desired to attract the more extended circle composed of the honnetes gens of his time. This rule, of course, suffers some exceptions, which can be explained either by the place of publication or by the nationality of the person to whom the writing is particularly addressed. In general, however, it can be stated that when a subject has been treated by Leibniz in the two languages, the Latin version is more concise, more rigorous, more difficult reading, in a more esoteric language; while the French version is more easily accessible to the larger public, better suited to popularize and to spread the new ideas of the author.

Thus it is necessarily to the Latin works of Leibniz that we must have recourse for a more precise and more profound knowledge of his work. With the exception of the Monadology, the works translated for this volume were written in Latin. Our choice of works has as its purpose, on the one hand, to present reliable texts and faithful translations of several writings indispensable to the study and understanding of the Leibnizian philosophy, and on the other hand, to permit the reader to follow this thought in certain decisive steps of its development." (Notes on the text, p. XXV)

Contents: Preface VII; The Unity of Leibniz’ Philosophic Thought IX; Notes on the Texts XXV; Selected Bibliography XXIX-XXX;

1. Reflections on Knowledge, Truth, and Ideas (1684) [GP IV, 422-426; A VI, 4, n. 141, 585-592] 3; 2. On the Universal Science: Characteristic 11: XIV [(1688); GP VII, 198-203; [A VI, 4, 189, 909-915] 11; XV [(1688; GP VII, 204-207; A VI, 4, n. 192, 917-922] 17; 3. Critical Remarks Concerning the General Part of Descartes’ Principles (1692) [GP IV, 350-392] 22; 4. On the Improvement of Metaphysics, and on the Concept of Substance (1694) [GP IV, 468-470] 81; 5. On the Ultimate Origination of the Universe (1697) [GP VII, 302-308] 84; 6. What is Nature? Reflections on the Force Inherent in Created Things and on Their Actions (1698) [GP IV, 504-516] 95; 7. A Vindication of God’s Justice Reconciled with His Other Perfections and All His Actions (1710) [GP VI, 437-462] 114; 8. Monadology [(1710); GP VI, 607-623] 148-163.

References

GP * Leibniz Philosophische Schriften. Ed. C. I. Gerhardt. 7 vols. Berlin, 1875-1890.
Parkinson, George H. R., ed. 1966. Leibniz Logical Papers: A Selection. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

"The present book offers translations of a selection of Leibniz’s logical papers, ranging from those written in youth to those written in maturity. The works selected are those which the translator believes to be Leibniz’s most important in the field of logic; the arrangement is, as far as possible, chronological. A certain amount of explanatory comment is necessary if these works are to be understood, and it will be the function of this introduction to provide such comment." (Introduction, p. IX)

"It remains to say a few words about the texts from which the translations have been made, and about the translations as such. The texts used have been indicated on each occasion, and as many of them are standard and often quoted in works on Leibniz, their pagination has been indicated in the translations. It has not been thought necessary to indicate where Leibniz has made additions or deletions; this is done most easily in an edition of the original texts, as in that by Couturat, which may be consulted by those interested. Any obvious slips of the pen have been put right in the text of the translation, and the original indicated in a footnote.(1) Some measure of consistency has been imposed on Leibniz’s symbolism; for example, his various signs for identity are always rendered here by ‘=’, and the sign for identity prefixed by ‘non’ is rendered by ≠. Another respect in which consistency has been imposed is in the use of a hyphen to express a negative term, such as ‘not-A’. It is important always to include this in an English translation, to distinguish between ‘. . . .is not A’ and ‘. ... is not-A’.(2) Leibniz, however, is not consistent in his use of the hyphen in such contexts, doubtless because the distinction is made adequately in Latin by the placing of ‘non’— ‘non est A’ in the first case, and ‘est non A’ in the second." (Introduction, p. LXII)

(1) The only exceptions are to be found in the study in the calculus of real addition, in which Leibniz sometimes forgets to draw a circle round the + sign; such oversights have been corrected without comment.

(2) e.g. Generales Inquisìtiones, pars. 93, 169.

Contents (Italics indicate that the title translated is Leibniz’s): Abbreviations VII; Introduction IX-LXV; 1. From Of the Art of Combination (1666) 1; 2. From papers on grammatical analysis (c. 1678) 12; 3. Elements of a Calculus (April 1679) 17; 4. Rules from which a decision can be made, by means of numbers, about the validity of inferences and about the forms and moods of categorical syllogisms (April 1679) 25; 5. A Specimen of the Universal Calculus (1679-86?) 33; 6. Addenda to the Specimen of the Universal Calculus (1679-86 ?) 40; 7. General Inquiries about the Analysis of Concepts and of Truths (1686) 47; 8. A specimen of a demonstrated inference from the direct to the oblique, sent by Leibniz to Vagetius (January 1687) 88; 9. The Primary Bases of a Logical Calculus (1 August 1690) 90; 10. The Bases of a Logical Calculus (2 August 1690) 93; 11. A Mathematics of Reason 95; 12. Of the Mathematical Determination of Syllogistic Forms 105; 13. An intensional account of immediate inference and the syllogism (‘Logical Definitions’) 112; 14. A paper on ‘some logical difficulties’ (after 1690) 115; 15. A Study in the Plus-Minus Calculus (‘A not inelegant Specimen of Abstract Proof’) (after 1690) 122; 16. A Study in the Calculus of Real Addition (after 1690) 131; Index 145-148.
Loemker, Leroy E., ed. 1969. Leibniz Philosophical Papers and Letters. Dordrecht: Reidel.

A selection translated and edited, with an introduction.

Second corrected edition; first edition in two volumes, Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1956.

"The selections contained in these volumes from the papers and letters of Leibniz are intended to serve the student in two ways: first, by providing a more adequate and balanced conception of the full range and penetration of Leibniz's creative intellectual powers; second, by inviting a fresher approach to his intellectual growth and a clearer perception of the internal strains in his thinking, through a chronological arrangement. Much confusion has arisen in the past through a neglect of the development of Leibniz's ideas, and Couturat's impressive plea, in his edition of the Opuscules et fragments (p. xii), for such an arrangement is valid even for incomplete editions.

The beginning student will do well, however, to read the maturer writings of Parts II, III, and IV first, leaving Part I, from a period too largely neglected by Leibniz criticism, for a later study of the still obscure sources and motives of his thought.

The Introduction aims primarily to provide cultural orientation and an exposition of the structure and the underlying assumptions of the philosophical system rather than a critical evaluation. I hope that together with the notes and the Index, it will provide those aids to the understanding which the originality of Leibniz's scientific, ethical, and metaphysical efforts deserve." (Preface to the first edition, p. VII)

Contents: Introduction: Leibniz as Philosopher 1; I. The 17th Century 2; II. Leibniz’s Life and Work 4; III. The Metaphysical Pattern 13; IV. Leibniz’s Method 19 V. Logic and the Principles of Truth and Reality 23; VI. Mathematics and Philosophy 28; VII. Physics and the Realm of Nature 31; VIII. Biology 35; IX. Psychology 37; X. Theory of Knowledge 41; XI. Summary: Structure and Purpose 44; XII. Ethics and Social Thought 46; XIII. Theology 49; XIV. Leibniz’s Consistency and Influence 54; Bibliography 63;

Part I. Mainz and Paris, 1666–76 71

1. Dissertation on the Art of Combinations, 1666 (Selections).- I. Demonstration of the Existence of God 73.- II. Corollaries for Disputation 74.- III. Cum Deo! 76.- Definitions 77.- Problems 78; 2. A New Method for Learning and Teaching Jurisprudence, 1667 (Selections from Part I).- I. General and Common to All Faculties: on a Basis for Studies in General 85; 3. Letter to Jacob Thomasius, 1669 93 4. Letter to Thomas Hobbes, 1670 105; 5. Theological Writings Related to the Catholic Demonstrations, 1668–70.- I. The Confession of Nature against Atheists, 1669 109; II. A Fragment on Dreams 113; III. On Transubstantiation, 1668(?) 115; Supplement: Notes on the Eucharist, 1668 118; 6. Preface to an Edition of Nizolius, 1670 (Selections) 121; 7. Elements of Natural Law, 1670–71 131; 8. Studies in Physics and the Nature of Body, 1671.- I. The Theory of Abstract Motion: Fundamental Principles 139; II. An Example of Demonstrations about the Nature of Corporeal Things Drawn from Phenomena 142; 9. Letter to Magnus Wedderkopf, 1671 146; 10. Letter to Antoine Arnauld, 1671 (Selection) 148; 11. Letter to Simon Foucher, with Notes on Foucher's Reply to Des Gabets, 1675 151; 12. Selections from the Paris Notes, 1676 157; 13. Letter to Henry Oldenburg, 1675 165; 14. Two Notations for Discussion with Spinoza, 1676 167;

Part II. Hanover to the Italian Journey, 1676–87 171

15. On a Method of Arriving at a True Analysis of Bodies and the Causes of Natural Things, 1677 173; 16. Letter to Arnold Eckhard, 1677 177; 17. Dialogue, 1677 182; 18. Letter to Herman Conring, 1678 186; 19. Letter to Walter von Tschirnhaus, 1678 192; 20. On the Ethics of Benedict de Spinoza, 1678.- I. On God 196; 21. What is an Idea? 1678 207; 22. Letters to Nicolas Malebranche, 1679 (Selections) 209; 23. Two Dialogues on Religion, ca. 1678 (Selections).- I. Dialogue between Poliander and Theophile 213; II. Dialogue between Polidore and Theophile 216; 24. On the General Characteristic, ca. 1679 221; 25. On Universal Synthesis and Analysis, or the Art of Discovery and Judgment, 1679(?) 229; 26. Two Studies in the Logical Calculus, 1679.- I. Elements of Calculus 235; II. Specimen of Universal Calculus 240; 27. Studies in a Geometry of Situation, 1679.- I. Letter to Christian Huygens, 1679 248; II. Supplement 249; III. On Analysis Situs 254; 28. Letter to John Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Hanover, 1679 259; 29. On Freedom, ca. 1679 263; 30. “First Truths”, ca. 1680–84 267; 31. Selections from Leibniz’s Correspondence, 1679–84.- I. To Christian Philipp, 1679 272; II. To Philipp, 1680 272; III. To François de la Chaise, 1680 273; IV. To Veit Ludwig von Seckendorf, 1683 275; V. To Walter von Tschirnhaus, 1684 275; 32. On the Elements of Natural Science, ca. 1682–84. I. The Plan of the Book 277; II. An Introduction on the Value and Method of Natural Science 280; 33. Meditations on Knowledge, Truth, and Ideas, 1684 291; 34. A Brief Demonstration of a Notable Error of Descartes and Others Concerning a Natural Law, 1686 296; 35. “Discourse on Metaphysics”, 1686 303; 36. Correspondence with Arnauld, 1686–87 (Selections) 331; 37. Letter of Mr. Leibniz on a General Principle Useful in Explaining the Laws of Nature through a Consideration of the Divine Wisdom; to Serve as a Reply to the Response of the Rev. Father Malebranche, 1687 351;

Introduction to Parts III and IV 355;

Part III. Hanover to the Death of Ernest August, 1690–98 357

38. Letter to Arnauld, 1690 359; 39. On the Method of Distinguishing Real from Imaginary Phenomena 363; 40. On the True Theologia Mystica, ca. 1690(?) 367; 41. A Study in the Logical Calculus 371; 42. Critical Thoughts on the General Part of the Principles of Descartes, 1692.- On Part I 383; On Part II 391; 43. Correspondence with Huygens, 1692–94 (Selections) 413; 44. From the Ethical and Legal Writings, 1693–1700 421.- I. From the Preface of the ‘Codex Juris Gentium Diplomaticus’ 421; II. From the Preface to the Mantissa Codicis Juris Gentium 424; III. On Wisdom 425; IV. On Natural Law 428; A Classification of Societies or Communities 429 45. On the Correction of Metaphysics and the Concept of Substance, 1694 432; 46. Specimen Dynamicum, 1695 435; 47. I. A New System of the Nature and the Communication of Substances, as well as the Union between the Soul and the Body, 1695 453; II. “Second Explanation of the New System”, 1696 459; 48. Letter to Gabriel Wagner on the Value of Logic, 1696 462; 49. Letters to Des Billettes, 1696–97 472; 50. Tentamen Anagogicum: An Anagogical Essay in the Investigation of Causes, ca. 1696 477; 51. On the Radical Origination of Things, 1697 486; 52. Clarification of the Difficulties which Mr. Bayle has found in the New System of the Union of Soul and Body, 1698 492; 53. On Nature Itself, or on the Inherent Force and Actions of Created Things, 1698 498;

Part IV. Hanover under George Louis, 1698–1716 509

54. Correspondence with John Bernoulli, 1698–99 511; 55. Correspondence with De Voider, 1699–1706 515; 56. Letter to Varignon, with a Note on the ‘Justification of the Infinitesimal Calculus by That of Ordinary Algebra’, 1702.- I. Letter to Varignon, February 2, 1702 542; II. Justification of the Infinitesimal Calculus by That of Ordinary Algebra, 1701 545; 57. On What is Independent of Sense and of Matter, 1702 547; 58. Reflections on the Doctrine of a Single Universal Spirit, 1702 554; 59. Reflections on the Common Concept of Justice, 1702(?) 561; 60. Reply to the Thoughts on the System of Pre-Established Harmony contained in the Second Edition of Mr. Bayle’s Critical Dictionary, Article Rorarius 1702 574; 61. Considerations on Vital Principles and Plastic Natures, by the Author of the System of Pre-Established Harmony, 1705 586; 62. Letter to Hansch on the Platonic Philosophy or on Platonic Enthusiasm, 1707 592; 63. Correspondence with Des Bosses, 1709–15 596; 64. Conversation of Philarète and Ariste, following a Conversation of Ariste and Theodore, ca. 1711 618; 65. Remarks on the three Volumes Entitled Characteristics of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times,... 1711, 1712 629; 66. The Principles of Nature and of Grace, based on Reason, 1714 636; 67. “The Monadology”, 1714 643; 68. Letters to Nicolas Remond, 1714–15 654; 69. Letters to Louis Bourguet, 1714–15 661; 70. The Metaphysical Foundations of Mathematics, after 1714 666; 71. The Controversy between Leibniz and Clarke, 1715–16 675-721;

Index 722-736.
Riley, Patrick, ed. 1988. Leibniz: Political Writings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Translated and edited with an introduction and notes. Second expanded edition (first edition 1972).

"It was characteristic of Leibniz to try to reconcile apparently conflicting ideas, to take from each kind of thought that which was soundest and to synthesize it with the seemingly incommensurable truths of other systems; thus he struggled throughout his life to fuse Platonism, Cartesianism, Christian voluntarism, scholasticism, Hobbesian mechanism and a number of other doctrines into a plausible whole(1) whose apex would be a rational theology (Leibniz used God with a relatively sparing hand, and was contemptuous of philosophers who drew him in at the first sign of intellectual difficulty). Given this desire for reconciliation, for harmony, for synthesis - which he applied to political philosophy as much as to any other philosophical question — it should come as no surprise that Leibniz wanted to establish, or rather discover, a *universal jurisprudence’, a system of law and justice common to God and man (and generally to any rational substances); both God and man existed in a ‘society or universal republic of spirits’ which was the ‘noblest part of the universe’, a moral realm within (and at the summit of) physical nature, a realm in which ‘universal right is the same for God and for men’.(2)" (Introduction, p. 2)

(1) See particularly letter to Remond, Loemker 11, p. 1064; New Essays 1, i (Langley edition, pp. 66-7).

(2) Theodicy, preliminary dissertation, pt. 35.

Contents: Preface to the Second Edition IX; Abbreviations XI; Introduction 1;

Part I. On Justice and Natural Law

1. Meditation on the Common Concept of Justice (c. 1702-3) 45; 2. Opinion on the Principles of Pufendorf (1706) 64;

Part II. On Social Life, Enlightenment and the Rule of Princes

3. On Natural Law 77; 4. Notes on Social Life 81; 5 Felicity (c. 1694-8?) 82; 6. Portrait of the Prince (1679) 85; 7. Memoir for Enlightened Persons of Good Intention (mid-1690s) 103;

Part III. On State-Sovereignty and Hobbesian Ideas

8. Caesarinus Fürstenerius (De Suprematu Principium Germaniae) (1677) 111;

Part IV. On the Defense of Hapsburg Europe against France

9. Mars Christianissimus (Most-Christian War-God) (1683) 121; 10. Manifesto for the Defense of the Rights of Charles III (1703) 146;

Part V. On International Relations and International Law

11. Codex Juris Gentmm (Praefatio) (1693) 165; 12. On the Works of the Abbé de St. Pierre (1715) 176; 12. Observations on the Abbe’s Project for Perpetual Peace (1713) 178; Letter II to Grimarest (1712) 183;

Part VI. Political Letters

13. Excerpts from letters to Landgraf Ernst of Hesse-Rheinfels, Bossuet and Thomas Burnett 185; Two Letters to Landgraf Ernst of Hesse-Rheinfels (1683-91) 185; Two Letters to Bossuet concerning the Reunification of Christendom ( 1692-9) 188; Three Letters to Thomas Burnett (1699-1712) 191; 14. Judgment of the Works of the Earl of Shaftesbury (1712) 193;

Part VII. Sovereignty and Divinity: Unpublished Manuscripts, 1695—1714

15. An Unpublished Manuscript of Leibniz on the Allegiance Due to Sovereign Powers (1695) 199; 16. Leibniz’ Unpublished Remarks on Abbé Bucquoi: Divinity and Sovereignty (1711) 217; 17. An Unpublished Lecture by Leibniz on the Greeks as Founders of Rational Theology: Its Relation to His ‘Universal Jurisprudence’ (1714) 225;

Critical Bibliography 241; Index 247-249.
Ariew, Roger, and Garber, Daniel, eds. 1989. G. W. Leibniz: Philosophical Essays. Indianapolis: Hackett.

"Our goals in this book are to collect, translate, and annotate a selection of Leibniz's philosophical works that, as a whole, will give an accurate picture of Leibniz's mature philosophical thought. Part I of the collection consists of a selection of essays, papers, and letters that together provide materials for the study of Leibniz's main doctrines. We have sought to include the "standard" texts, the "Discourse on Metaphysics," "Monadology," "New System of Nature," etc., which are essential to an understanding of Leibniz. But we have also included a selection of lesser-known pieces from Leibniz's mature thought—the late 1670s on—that deal with Leibniz's program for logic, his various accounts of contingency and freedom, and his account of body. In this part of the collection, we arrange the pieces in the order of their composition (as much as possible—dating is sometimes problematic) to remind the reader that chronological considerations can sometimes be helpful in sorting out a philosopher's thought.

However, it is difficult to understand and appreciate Leibniz's thought when it is detached from its historical context. Hence, in Part II of the collection, we present a selection of Leibniz's writings about other philosophers.

The figures we have chosen to emphasize are the ones most often discussed in connection with Leibniz: Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Malebranche, Locke, and Berkeley. In addition, we have included some of Leibniz's philosophical writings on Newton, both for the light they shed on Leibniz's own philosophy and to emphasize the extent to which Leibniz was involved in the scientific debates of his day. We hope that the writings in this section will allow the reader to see how Leibniz saw his contemporaries. The case can be made, we think, that Leibniz's thought can only be understood fully in the context of the contrasts he draws between his thought and that of others." (Introduction, p. XI)

Contents: Introduction: 1. Leibniz: Life and Works VII, 2. Principle of Selection and Rationale for the Volume X; 3. Selected Bibliography of the Works of Leibniz XII; 4. Selected Bibliography of Secondary Works XIII; 5.Translations and Other Texts Referred to in the Notes XIV-XVI;

Part I. Basic Works. 1. Letter to Foucher (1675) 1; 2. Preface to a Universal Characteristic (1678-79) 5; 3. Samples of the Numerical Characteristic (1679) 10; 4. On Freedom and Possibility (1680-82?) 19; 5. Meditations on Knowledge, Truth, and Ideas (1684) 23; 6. On Contingency (1686?) 28; 7. Primary Truths (1686?) 30; 8. Discourse on Metaphysics (1686) 35; 9. From the Letters to Arnauld (1686-87) 69; 10. On Copernicanism and the Relativity of Motion (1689) 90; 11. On Freedom (1689?) 94; 12. The Source of Contingent Truths (1685-89?) 98; 13. Notes on Some Comments by Michel Angelo Fardella (1690) 101; 14. Preface to the Dynamics (1691?) 105; 15. Dialogue on Human Freedom and the Origin of Evil (1695) 111; 16. A Specimen of Dynamics (1695) 117; 17. New System of Nature (1695) 138; 18. Note on Foucher’s Objection (1695) 145; 19. Postscript of a Letter to Basnage de Beauval (1696) 147; 20. On the Ultimate Origination of Things (1697) 149; 21. On Nature Itself (1698) 155; 22. From the Letters to Johann Bernoulli (1698-99) 167; 23. From the Letters to de Voider (1699-1706) 171; 24. To Queen Sophie Charlotte of Prussia, On What Is Independent of Sense and Matter (1702) 186; 25. Letter to Coste, On Human Freedom (1707) 193; 26. Response to Father Tournemine, on Harmony (1708) 196; 27. From the Letters to Des Bosses (1712-16) 197; 28. Principles of Nature and Grace, Based on Reason (1714) 206; 29. The Principles of Philosophy, or, the Monadology (1714) 213; 30. Letter to Samuel Masson, on Body (1716) 225; 31. From the Letters to Wolff (1714-15) 230;

Part II. Leibniz on His Contemporaries

A. Descartes and Malebranche. 1. Letter to Countess Elizabeth(?), On God and Formal Logic (1678?) 235; 2.Letter to Molanus(?), On God and the Soul (1679?) 240; 3. On the Nature of Body and the Laws of Motion (1678-82) 245; 4. On Body and Force, Against the Cartesians (1702) 250; 5. Conversation of Philarète and Ariste (1712) 257;

B. Hobbes and Spinoza. 1. Dialogue (1677) 268; 2. Comments on Spinoza’s Philosophy (1707?) 272; 3. Two Sects of Naturalists (1677-80) 281; C. Locke. 1. From a Letter to Thomas Burnett, on the Occasion of Rereading Locke (1703) 284; 2. From the Letters to Thomas Burnett, on Substance (1699) 285; 3. From a Letter to Lady Masham, on Thinking Matter (1704) 290; 4. Preface to the New Essays (1703-5) 291;

D. Berkeley. 1. From a Letter to Des Bosses (1715) 306; 2. Remarks on Berkeley’s Principles (1714-15) 307;

E. Newton. 1. Absolute and Relative Motion, from Letters to Huygens (1694) 307; 2. Planetary Theory, from a Letter to Huygens (1690) 309; 3. Against Barbaric Physics (1710-16?) 312; 4. From the Letters to Clarke (1715-16) 320;

Appendixes. 1. Notes on the Texts 347; 2. Brief Biographies of Some Contemporaries of Leibniz 350; Index 358-366.
Cook, Daniel J., and Rosemont Jr., Henry, eds. 1994. Writings on China. Peru (Illinois): Open Court.

Translated with an Introduction, Notes and Commentaries.

"His more detailed writings on China (as opposed to brief references to it, which he regularly made in his correspondence) can be roughly divided into two categories. The first is the letters he wrote to European—usually Jesuit—missionaries in China, or their peers in Europe. Especially is this true of his correspondence with Joachim Bouvet, one of the first French Jesuits to live in China, and whose letters to Leibniz clearly influenced the philosopher. (For more on Bouvet, see below, p. 16). All of these letters have now been published—although not translated—by Dr. Rita Widmaier in Leibniz Korrespondiert mit China [Der Briefwechsel mit den Jesuitenmissionaren (1689- 1714],(2) and it is our hope that this entire correspondence will soon be presented in an English edition (particularly the Leibniz-Bouvet letters, which are philosophically the most significant).

The second category of Leibniz's sustained writings on sinological topics are the four texts presented herein. The first was written expressly for publication, which Leibniz seldom did; the second and third were written as brief essays on Chinese thought, and then sent as appendices to letters to a few among his numerous correspondents. And the fourth is a lengthy treatise on Chinese natural theology, which he wrote the year he died, to be sent as a letter to the same correspondent to whom he had addressed the Monadology two years earlier.

Thus, while these four texts are by no means a complete inventory of Leibniz's China writings, we do believe that collectively they provide a fairly comprehensive view of what he had to say about things Chinese, and that they provide a number of insights into Leibniz's own philosophy as well." (Preface, pp. XI-XII)

(2) Frankfurt am Main: Vittorio Klostermann, 1990.

Contents: List of Illustrations VIII; Preface XI; Acknowledgments XV; Introduction 1; I. The Background of Leibniz’s China Writings 1; II. Sources of Leibniz’s Knowledge of China 10; III. The Chinese Intellectual Tradition 18; IV. The Manuscripts and Their Translations 30;

Preface to the Novissima Sinica (1697/99) 45; On the Civil Cult of Confucius (1700) 61; Remarks on Chinese Rites and Religion (1708) 67; Discourse on the Natural Theology of the Chinese (1716) 75; Appendix: Transcription Conversion Table 139; Bibliography 141; Name Index 149; Subject Index 152-157.
Parkinson, George H. R., ed. 1992. The Yale Leibniz: De Summa Rerum: Metaphysical Papers, 1675-1676. New Haven: Yale University Press.

"The editors of the Academy Edition include under the heading of De Summa Rerum more than the philosophical papers that Leibniz wrote between December 1675 and April 1676. Between his departure from

Paris early in October 1676 and his arrival in Hanover in mid-December, Leibniz wrote a further series of papers on philosophical topics. The first of these was an extensive work on philosophical problems concerning motion, the dialogue Pacidius Philalethi, written between 29 October and 10 November 1676, whilst Leibniz was waiting for a passage from London to Holland. Other philosophical papers followed, some of which are connected with Leibniz's visit to Spinoza in The Hague between 18 and 21 November 1676. All these papers-Pacidius Philalethi and the rest-are closely related in themes to the papers of December 1675 to April 1676, and for this reason the editors of the Academy Edition count them as forming part of one group of papers, which they entitle De Summa Rerum. This volume will take account of both the papers of December 1675 to April 1676 and those of October to December 1676, but its scope is limited. These papers fall into two main groups, which overlap in time of composition. One group(11) is concerned with the philosophy of mathematics (in particular with problems of the infinite) and with philosophical problems about the nature of motion. The other deals with philosophical, or more precisely with metaphysical, problems that concern God and the human mind. What are offered here are texts and translations of the most important papers that belong to this second group, as well as selections from some notes on metaphysics that Leibniz wrote on various occasions between March and December 1676.(12) The text used is that of the Academy Edition."

(11) A, Nos. 59,63-66,69,78.

(12) These constitute A, Nos. 36 and 39; they are printed in the section of the volume that is devoted to "Annotata."

References

A = Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz: Sämtliche Schriften und Briefe (Darmstadt and Berlin: Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin, 1923- ).

Contents: List of Abbreviations; A Note on the Text and Translation;

Introduction

1. The Origins and Significance of the De Summa Rerum; 2. Philosophy and the Search for Primary Truths; 3. Ideas, Possibility, and God; 4. The Principles of Contradiction, Sufficient Reason, and Harmony; 5. Material Things: A Phenomenalist Analysis; 6. Minds and Material Things; 7. Space and Time; 8. Atoms and the Actual Infinite; 9. Laws of Nature; 10. The Human Mind and its Relation to God; 11. Conclusion;

Chronological Table

De Summa Rerum 1

1. On Mind, the Universe, and God (2nd half? of Dec. 1675) 2; 2. On Matter, Motion, Minima, and the Continuum (Dec. 1675) 10; 3. On the Secrets of the Sublime, or on the Supreme Being (11 Feb. 1676) 20; 4. On the Seat of the Soul (Feb. 1676) 32; 5. On the Union of Soul and Body (Feb.? 1676) 34; 6. On Magnitude (Early? 1676) 36; 7. Excerpts from Notes on Science and Metaphysics (18 and 22 March 1676) 42; 8. A Meditation on the Principle of the Individual (1 April 1676) 50; 9. On the Elements of Thinking (1st half of April 1676) 52; 10. On Truths, the Mind, God, and the Universe (15 April 1676) 56; 11. On Forms, or, the Attributes of God (2nd half? of April 1676) 68; 12. On Reminiscence and on the Mind's Self-reflection (2nd half? of April 1676) 70; 13. On the Origin of Things from Forms (April? 1676) 74; 14. On Simple Forms (April 1676) 82; 15. On the Plenitude of the World (Early? 1676) 84; 16. Guilielmus Pacidius on the Secrets of Things (Early? 1676) 88; 17. That a Most Perfect Being is Possible (Nov.? 1676) 90; 18. A Most Perfect Being Exists (Nov.? 1676) 96; 19. That a Most Perfect Being Exists (18-21 Nov.? 1676) 100; 20. My Principle is: Whatever can Exist and is Compatible with Others, Exists (12 Dec. 1676) 102; 21. A Definition of God, or, of an Independent Being (Dec. ? 1676) 104; 22. A Chain of Wonderful Demonstrations about the Universe (12 Dec. 1676) 106; 23. Thought is not Motion (Dec. 1676) 110; 24. On Existence (Dec.? 1676) 110; 25. Notes on Metaphysics (Dec. 1676) 114;

Notes 117; Index of Names 141; Index of Subjects 142.
———, ed. 1995. Leibniz: Philosophical Writings. London: Everyman Library, J. M. Dent.

First edition translated by Mary Morris, London: J. M. Dent and New York: E.P. Dutton & Co, 1934; second revised edition with G. H. R. Parkinson, London: J. M. Dent & Sons 1973.

"Mrs. Morris’s translations from Leibniz were first published in Everyman’s Library in 1934, and have been reprinted several times. For this new edition a number of the works translated by her which are of less than major importance have been omitted; those that have been retained are the Monadology, Principles of Nature and of Grace, On the Ultimate Origination of Things, the selections from the correspondence with Arnauld, the New System and Explanation of the New System, the Preface to the New Essays, the selections from the correspondence with Clarke, and a letter on human freedom (1934 edition, pp. 3-41, 57-87, 97-116, 141-67, 192-229, 250-3).

(...)

To replace the works that have been excluded, I have made the following translations: (1) Of an Organum or Ars Magna of Thinking, (2) An Introduction to a Secret Encyclopaedia, (3) Of Universal Synthesis and Analysis, (4) Selections from the Discourse on Metaphysics, (5) A Specimen of Discoveries, (6) Primary Truths, (7) The Nature of Truth, (8) Necessary and Contingent Truths, (9) On Freedom, (10) On the Principle of Indiscernibles, (11) A Résumé of Metaphysics, (12) Metaphysical Consequences of the Principle of Reason. Of these, numbers (1), (2) (5), (7), (10), (11) and (12) haye not appeared in English before, and there has previously been no complete English translation of (8). Of the works retained from Mrs. Morris’s original translations, the letter on freedom is not available elsewhere in English.

In making the new translations and revising those of Mrs. Morris I have tried to provide equivalents of Leibniz’s technical terms which are consistent throughout. The aim has been to produce a version of Leibniz which will convey clearly the meaning of what he wrote, whilst keeping as close to the text as is consistent with this." (Notes on translation, pp. XV-XXVI)

Contents: Note on the Author and Editor VII; Chronology of Leibniz’s Life and Times VIII; Introduction XXI; Notes on Translation XXXV-XXXVI;

Of an Organum or Ars Magna of Thinking, c. 1679 1; An Introduction to a Secret Encyclopaedia, c. 1679 5; Of Universal Synthesis and Analysis, c. 1683 10; Discourse on Metaphysics (Selections), c. 1686 18; Correspondence with Amauld (Selections) 1686-7 48; A Specimen of Discoveries, c. 1686 75; Primary Truths, c. 1686 87; The Nature of Truth, c. 1686 93; Necessary and Contingent Truths, c. 1686 96; On Freedom, c. 1689 106; A Letter on Freedom, c. 1689 112; New System, and Explanation of the New System. 1695-6 115; On the Principle of Indiscernibles, c. 1696 133; On the Ultimate Origination of Things 1697 136; A Résumé of Metaphysics, c. 1697 145; Metaphysical Consequences of the Principle of Reason, c. 1712 172; Monadology 1714 179; Principles of Nature and of Grace 1714 195; Correspondence with Clarke (Selections) 1715-16 205; Notes 239; Suggestions for Further Reading 259; Index of Names 263; Index of Subjects 265-267.
Woolhouse, Roger S., and Francks, Richard, eds. 1997. Leibniz's 'New System' and Associated Contemporary Texts. New York: Oxford University Press.

"In the 'Système nouveau' Leibniz reveals (or, sometimes, merely hints at) his thoughts about the unsatisfactory nature of the Cartesian understanding of material substance as merely extended matter, about the importance of the notion of force for both physics and metaphysics, and about the connected need for the rehabilitation of the substantial forms or souls of the scholastics as principles of substantial unity. He distinguishes various types of soul, from the fully rational mind with its close relation to God down to those 'which are sunk in matter'; and he hints at the presence of these imperishable souls through the whole of matter. In the second part of the article he turns from this account of the nature of substances to one of their 'communication', specifically the union or connection between the body and the mind. Here, finding fault with the system of occasional causes as put forward by Cartesians such as Malebranche, he proposes at some length, and as a 'hypothesis which is certainly possible', what he first referred to as the 'theory of concomitance', and what before long became known as the 'system of pre-established harmony' between body and mind." (Introduction, pp. 2-3)

"The concern of this volume, then, is the wave of intellectual activity which broke around Leibniz with the 1695 publication in a French journal of the "'New System'". Chapter 2 is concerned with the "'New System'" itself and, following an account of some of the events leading up to its publication, it presents the text and one of its early drafts. The first public response was made in the same year by Simon Foucher, someone who from earlier personal correspondence had some familiarity with Leibniz's ideas, and via whom Leibniz submitted the text of the "'New System'" to the Journal des savants. Chapter 3 contains his response, together with Leibniz's notes on it and his published reaction--what is now known as "'The First Explanation of the New System'" ( 1696). 'Second' and 'Third Explanations' were published in other journals that same year, following a letter that Leibniz had written to Henri Basnage de Beauval, who had made some comments on his ideas (Chapter 4)." (Introduction, p. 4)

Contents: 1. Introduction 1;

2. The 'New System of the Nature of Substances' 7; Introduction 7; NS1. LEIBNIZ: ’New System of the Nature of Substances and their Communication, and of the Union which Exists between the Soul and the Body' (Journal des savants, 27 June and 4 July 1695) 10; NS2. LEIBNIZ: Draft of 'New System for Explaining the Nature of Substances and the Communication between them, as well as the Union of the Soul with the Body' (1694?) 21; Appendix A. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Bossuet, Hanover, 2 July 1694 27; Appendix B. LEIBNIZ: 'Reflections on the Advancement of True Metaphysics and Particularly on the Nature of Substance Explained by Force’ (1694) 31; Appendix C. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Bossuet, Hanover, dated 3 July 1694 35; 3. Leibniz and Simon Foucher 37; Introduction 37; F1. FOUCHER: ’Reply of M. S. F. to M. de L. B. Z. on his New System of the Communication between Substances, Proposed in the Journals of 27 June and 4 July 1695' (Journal des savants, 12 September 1695) 41; F2. LEIBNIZ: 'Remarks on M. Foucher's Objections' (1695) 45; F3. LEIBNIZ: '[First] Explanation of the New System of the Communication between Substances, in Reply to what was said of it in the Journal for 12 September 1695’ (Journal des savants, 2 and 9 April 1696) 47; Appendix A. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Foucher, 1686 52; Appendix B. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Foucher, ? 1687/8 53; Appendix C. LEIBNIZ: Letter to des Billettes, 4 December 1696 55; Appendix D. LEIBNIZ: Letter to l'Hôpital, 12 July 1695; l'HÔPITAL: Letter to Leibniz, 3 September 1695 56; Appendix E. LEIBNIZ: Letter to l'Hôpital, 20 September 1695; l'HÔPITAL: Letter to Leibniz, Ouques, 1 December 1695 58; 4. Leibniz and Henri Basnage de Beauval 61; Introduction 61; B1. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Basnage, Hanover, 3 January 1696 62; Appendix A LEIBNIZ: Letter to Basnage, late 1695 ? 64; Appendix B. LEIBNIZ: 'Extract from a Letter by M. Leibniz about his Philosophical Hypothesis...' (Journal des savants, 19 November 1696) ('Third Explanation of the New System’) 65; 5. Leibniz and Pierre Bayle 68; Introduction 68; PB1. BAYLE: Note H to Dictionary Article 'Rorarius' (1696) 72; PB2. LEIBNIZ: Unpublished Comments ou Bayle's Note H (1705?) 75; PB3. LEIBNIZ: 'A Letter... to the Editor. Containing an Explanation of the Difficulties which M. Bayle Found with the New System of the Union of the Soul aud Body' (Histoire des ouvrages des savants, July 1698) 79; PB4. BAYLE: Note L to Dictionary Article 'Rorarius' (1702) 86; PB5. LEIBNIZ: Unpublished Comments on Bayle's Note L (1705?) 96; PB6. LEIBNIZ: 'Reply to the Comments in the Second Edition of M. Bayle's Critical Dictionary, in the Article "Rorarius”, Concerning the System of Pre-established Harmony' (1702: pub. Histoire critique de la République des lettres 1716) 107; PB7a/b. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Bayle, 1702? 126; 6. Leibniz and François Lamy 133; Introduction 133; LI. LEIBNIZ: 'Supplement to the Explanation of the New System Regarding the Soul and the Body, Sent to Paris on the Occasion of a Book Entitled The Knowledge of the Self (1694?) 138; L2. LAMY: Extracts from The Knowledge of the Self (1699) 143; L3. LEIBNIZ: Remarks on Lamy (November 1702) 152; L4. LEIBNIZ: 'Reply to the Objections that the Author of the book The Knowledge of the Self made against the System of Pre-established Harmony' (1704; pub. Supplément du Journal des savants du dernier de juin 1709 ,1709) 165; 7. Leibniz and Isaac Jaquelot 171; Introduction 171; J1. JAQUELOT: Letter to Leibniz, 2 February 1704 174; J2. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Jaquelot, Wolfenbüttel, 9 February 1704 175; J3. JAQUELOT: Letter to Leibniz, 10 March 1704 177; J4. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Jaquelot, n.d. 178; J5. JAQUELOT: Letter to Leibniz, 25 April 1704 179; J6. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Jaquelot, Hannover, 28 April 1704 ? 180; J7. JAQUELOT: 'A Brief System of the Soul and Freedom' (1705) (Appendix to The Conformity of Faith with Reason, or The Defence of Religion against the Principal Difficulties Detailed in M. Bayle's Historical and Critical Dictionary) 183; J8. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Jaquelot. Berlin, 4 September 1704 187; J9. JAQUELOT: Letter to Leibniz, 6 September 1704 190; J10. LEIBNIZ: Notes on Jaquelot's letter of 6 September 1704 192; J11. JAQUELOT: Letter to Leibniz, 12. September 1704 194; J12. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Jaquelot, n.d. 196; Appendix A LEIBNIZ: Letter to Jaquelot, 22 March 1703 200; 8. Leibniz and Damaris Masharn 202; Introduction 202; M1. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Masharn, early 1704 ? 203; M2. MASHAM: Letter to Leibniz, Oates, 29 March 1704 203; M3. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Masharn, Hanover, beginning of May 1704 204; M4. MASHAM: Letter to Leibniz, Oates, 3 June 1704 207; M5. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Masharn, Hanover, 30 June 1704 210; M6. MASHAM: Letter to Leibniz, Oates, 8 August 1704 215; M7. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Masharn, Lüzenberg, near Berlin, September 1704 218; Appendix A LEIBNIZ: Letter to Sophie Charlotte, Hanover, 8 May 1704 220; 9. Leibniz and Pierre Desmaizeaux 226; Introduction 226; D1. DESMAIZEAUX: Explanation of a Passage in Hippocrates' book Diet... To Serve as a Response to Part of M. Leibniz's "New System of the Nature and the Communication of Substances, or of Pre-established Harmony'" (1700: pub. Histoire critique de la République des lettres, 1716) 228; D2. LEIBNIZ: 'A Letter... to M. Desmaizeaux, Containing some Comments on the Preceding Explanation, and on other Parts of the "System of Pre-established Harmony, etc." (1711: pub. Histoire critique de la République des lettres. 1716) 238; Appendix A DESMAIZEAUX: Preface to Recueil (1719: pub. 1720) 240; Appendix B. DESMAIZEAUX: 'Letter to M. l’Abbé Conti, Containing the Explanation of a Passage from Hippocrates' (1718; pub. Recueil. 1720) 243; Appendix C. LEIBNIZ: Letter to Samuel Masson, 21 August 1716 244; 10. Leibniz and Rent Joseph de Toumemine 246; Introduction 246; T1. DE TOURNEMINE: 'Conjectures on the Union of the Soul and the Body' (Mémoires de Trévoux, May 1703) 247; T2. LEIBNIZ: Extract from 'Comment on an article in the Mémoires de Trévoux for March 1704' (Mémoires de Trévoux, 1708) 249; T3. DE TOURNEMINE: 'Father Tournemine's Reply' (Mémoires de Trévoux, March 1708) 251; Index 253-261.
———, eds. 1998. G. W. Leibniz: Philosophical Texts. New York: Oxford University Press.

"This book contains nineteen Texts. Most of these are important writings (originally composed in French and Latin, and dating from 1685 to 1714) of Gottfried Leibniz. But some of the replies and comments made by various of Leibniz's contemporaries (such as Antoine Arnauld, Pierre Bayle, and Simon Foucher) are included too. The texts are typically divided into numbered paragraphs or sections; thus the editorial reference 'T1. 2' would be to the second section of the first text, 'T2. 3 §1' would be to the first section of the third subtext of T2.

The book also contains editorial matter of various kinds. So, to begin with, there is a lengthy Editor's Introduction, which, besides saying something about Leibniz's life, writings, and influence, also aims to expound and explain Leibniz's main philosophical ideas as they occur in the texts which follow.

The asterisks (*) at various points throughout the book signal the Notes, collected at the end of the volume. These notes act as a glossary for various unusual but frequently recurring terms, or as explanations of references to various people, doctrines, or ideas. In addition, there are editorial footnotes to each text which are signalled by superscript numerals.

There are also some longer, explanatory notes which appear as appendices at the end of the text to which they refer.

As well as such notes, each text is prefaced by a Summary, which provides an outline of the structure of what is about to follow.

In the Editor's Introduction, and elsewhere, pains have often been taken to direct the student towards relatively recent articles and books which provide further explanation or discussion of various central topics. Full details of these, and any other references to the secondary literature, are given in the Bibliography and Further Reading section." (How to use this book, p. 3)

Contents: Part I: Introductory Material

How to Use this Book 3; Abbreviations 4; Editor’s Introduction: 1. Introduction 5; 2. Substance and Matter 8; 3. Physics and Natural Science 17; 4. The Metaphysics of Causation 26; 5. The Union of Body and Mind 30; 6. Humans, Animals, and their Minds 36; 7. From God to the Best Possible World: Creation, Freedom, and the Community of Rational Minds 41; 8. Leibniz: Life and Influences 46; The Texts Printed in this Edition 50;

Part 2: The Texts

1. Discourse on Metaphysics (1686) 53; 2. Correspondence with Arnauld (1686-1690) 94; 2.1. Arnauld to von Hessen-Rheinfels, 13 March 1686 98; 2.2. Leibniz to von Hessen-Rheinfels, 12 April 1686 98; 2.3. Arnauld to Leibniz, 13 May 1686 100; 2.4. Leibniz to Arnauld, 4/14July 1686 105; 2.5. Arnauld to Leibniz, 28 September 1686 114; 2.6. Draft of Leibniz to Arnauld, 28 November/ 8 December 1686 115; 2.7. Leibniz to Arnauld, 28 November/8 December 1686 117; 2.8. Arnauld to Leibniz, 4 March 1687 119; 2.9. Leibniz to Arnauld, 30 April 1687 123; 2.10. Arnauld to Leibniz, 28 August 1687 128; 2.11. Leibniz to Arnauld, 9 October 1687 130; 2.12. Leibniz to Arnauld, 4/14January 1688 135; 2.13. Leibniz to Arnauld, 23 March 1690 136; 3. Reflections on the Advancement of True Metaphysics and particularly on the Nature of Substance Explained by Force (1694) 139; 4. New System of the Nature of Substances and their Communication, and of the Union which Exists between the Soul and the Body (1695) 143; 5. Specimen Dynamicum: An Essay in Dynamics (1695) 153; 6. Reply of M. S.F. to M. de L.B.Z. on his New System of the Communication between Substances (1695) 180; 7. Remarks on M. Foucher’s Objections (1695) 184; 8. [First] Explanation of the New System of the Communication between Substances, in Reply to what was Said of it in the Journal for 12 September 1695 (1696) 187; 9. Extract from a Letter Written by M. Leibniz about his Philosophical Hypothesis (1696) (‘Third Explanation of the New System’) 191; 10. Note H to Bayle’s Dictionary Article ‘Rorarius’ (1697) 194; 11. Leibniz’s Comments on Note H to Bayle’s Dictionary Article ‘Rorarius’ (1705?) 198; 12. A Letter ... to the Editor, Containing an Explanation of the Difficulties which M. Bayle Found with the New System of the Union of the Soul and Body (1698) 201; 13. Nature Itself; or, The Inherent Force and Activity of Created Things—Confirming and Illustrating the Author’s Dynamics (1698) 209; 14. Note L to Bayle's Dictionary Article ‘Rorarius’ (1702) 223; 15. Leibniz's Comments on Note L to Bayle’s Dictionary Article ‘Rorarius’(1705?) 233; 16. Reply to the Comments in the Second Edition of M. Bayle’s Critical Dictionary, in the Article ‘Rorarius’, concerning the System of Pre-established Harmony (1702; published 1716) 241; 17. Draft Letters from Leibniz to Bayle (December 1702) 254; 18. Principles of Nature and Grace, based on Reason (1714) 258; 19. Monadology (1714) 267;

Part 3: Notes, Bibliography, and Index; Notes 285; Bibliography and Further Reading 294; Index 305-313.

"While some of the translations included here are new (TT 1, 2, 5, 13, 18, 19), others (TT 3, 4, 6-12, 14-17) are taken, sometimes with small changes, from our Leibniz’s ‘New System’ and Associated Contemporary Texts (Oxford, 1997)." (p. 50)
Arthur, Richard T. W., ed. 2001. The Yale Leibniz: The Labyrinth of the Continuum: Writings on the Continuum Problem, 1672-1686. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Translated, Edited, and with an Introduction by Richard T. W. Arthur. Latin and French text with English translation.

"The central problem of the collection, that of the composition of the continuum, is one whose importance Leibniz repeatedly stressed throughout his career. My aim has been to gather together and present in English translation a selection of the manuscripts he wrote on this subject between 1672 and 1686, most of them previously untranslated.

The original language texts are drawn from the authoritative Akademie edition of Leibniz's works, as explained in more detail in the Note on the Texts and Translation below. In making the translations, my aim has been to produce a readable English text that at the same time conveys the original's meaning as accurately as possible. No doubt it is the aim of all translators to strike some such happy balance between accuracy and fluency.

(...)

I have tried to render all important words and their cognates as consistently as I could, to the extent that English will allow. As an aid to this, I have followed the lead of Edwin Curley and others in providing a Glossary/Index. This contains a record of my translations of key terms and phrases, as well as a defense of them, and has the dual merit of providing a kind of running commentary on translation issues while keeping these apart from the textual concerns dealt with in the notes." (Preface, p. XI)

"For Parts I and II, the original language text is that of the Akademie edition, Series VI, volume iii (available in most research libraries); for Part III it is that of volume iv of the same series, recently published in six substantial parts, A-F, totaling some 3,000 pages. I had originally availed myself of the preliminary edition of this volume, the so-called Vorausedition, but I was prevailed upon to delay publication until the appearance of the official edition so I could key all my referencing to it." (Preface, p. XXI).

Contents: Preface XI; List of Abbreviations XVII; A Note on the Texts and Translation XXI; Introduction XXIII; 1. The Labyrinth XXIII, 2. The Problem of the Continuum XXVI; 3. Leibniz’s First Solution XXXII; 4. Continuity and Cohesion XXXVII; 5. Atoms and the Void XLIII; 6. Actually Infinite Division and the Infinitely Small LI; 7. Infinite Aggregates: Body, Space, and Substance LXI; 8. Motion, Change, and Substance LXXIII-LXXXVIII;

I. Paris Writings, 1672-76 1

1. “A Demonstration of Incorporeal Substances” (4th Draft) (Fall 1672?) A III 3.4, 2; 2. Notes on Galileo’s Two New Sciences (First Dialogue) (Fall 1672?) A III 11.2, 4; 3. On Minimum and Maximum; On Bodies and Minds (Nov. 1672-Jan. 1673) A III 5, 8; 4. On the Cohesiveness of Bodies (Fall 1672-Winter 1672-73) A III 4, 18; 5. Notes on Descartes’s Principles of Philosophy (Selections) (Fall-Dec. 1675?) A III 15, 22; 6. On Matter, Motion, Minima, and the Continuum (Dec. 1675) A III 58, 30; 7. "An Infinite Line Is Immovable” (3 Jan. 1676) A III 59, 40; 8. On Spinoza’s Ethics; and On the Infinite (Feb. 1676?) A III 33.4, A III 63, 40; 9. On the Secrets of the Sublime, or On the Supreme Being (Selections) (11 Feb. 1676) A III 60, 44; 10. Unbounded Extension (Feb. 1676?) A III 66, 52; 11. Notes on Science and Metaphysics (Selections) (18 March 1676) A III 36, 52; 12. On the Plenitude of the World (March? 1676) A III 76, 58; 13. On the Infinitely Small (26 March 1676) A III 52, 64; 14. Unbounded Lines (April 1676) A III 65, 64; 15. On Motion and Matter (1?-10 April 1676) A III 68, 74; 16. Infinite Numbers (c. 10 April 1676) A III 69, 82; 17. Annotated Excerpts from Spinoza (2nd half of April 1676?) A III 19, 100; 18. On Body, Space, and the Continuum (Selections) ( 15 April and 2nd half? of April 1676) A III 71, A III 74 116;

II. Dialogue on Continuity and Motion 125

19. “Pacidius to Philalethes: A First Philosophy of Motion” (29 Oct-10 Nov. 1676) A III 78, 127;

III. Hanover Writings, 1677-86 223

20. Space and Motion Are Really Relations (Early 1677?) A IV 359, 224; 21. Motion Is Something Relative (Feb. 1677) A IV 360, 228; 22. “Chrysippus’s Heap” (March 1678) A IV 23, 228; 23. Conspectus for a Little Book on the Elements of Physics (Selections) (Summer 1678-Winter 1678-79?) A IV 365, 230; 24. Created Things Are Actually Infinite (Summer 1678-Winter 1680-81) A IV 266, 234; 25, Metaphysical Definitions and Reflections (Summer 1678 -Winter 1680-81) A IV 267, 236; 26. Matter and Motion Are Only Phenomena (c. 1678-79?) A IV 277, 256; 27. There Is No Such Thing as One Body (c. 1678-79) A IV 278, 256; 28. “A Body Is Not a Substance” (c. 1678-79?) A IV 316, 258; 29. “ The Origin of Souls and Minds” (March-June 1681 ?) A IV 275 260; 30. “Wonders Concerning the Nature of Corporeal Substance” (29 March 1683) A IV 279, 262; 31. On Substance, Change, Time, and Extension (Selections) (Summer 1683-Early 1685?) A IV 132, 264; 32. On Part, Whole, Transformation, and Change (Selections) (Mid-1685) A IV 147, 270; 33. Annotated Excerpts from Cordemoy’s Treatise (1685) A IV 346, 274; 34. On the Present World (March 1684-Spring 1686) A IV 301, 282; 35. There Is No Perfect Shape in Bodies (April-Oct. 1686?) A IV 310, 298; 36. There Can Be Infinite Degrees of Souls (c. 1686?) A IV 304, 298; 37. “A Specimen of Discoveries of the Admirable Secrets of Nature in General” (c. 1686?) A IV 312 (A IV 315, A IV 320) 302; 38. Motion Is Not Something Absolute (c. 1686?) A IV 317, 332; 39. On Time and Place, Duration and Space (c. 1686?) A IV 321, 334;

Appendix 1

Excerpts from Leibniz’s Early Writings on the Continuum (1669-71) 337;

(a) from a Letter to Thomasius (1669) 337; (b) The Theory of Concrete Motion (Winter 1670-71) 337; (c) The Theory of Abstract Motion (Winter 1670-71) 339; (d) On Primary Matter (Winter 1670-71) 343; (e) from A Hypothesis of the System of the World Spring-Fall 1671?) 344; (f) from On the Nature of Corporeal Things (Second Draft) (late 1671?) 345;

Appendix 2

Leibniz’s Predecessors on the Continuum 347;

(a) Aristotle 347; (b) Galileo Galilei 352; (c) René Descartes 357; (d) Thomas Hobbes 359; (e) Pierre Gassendi 36o;

Notes 365; Glossary-Index 435; 1. Latin-English Glossary 435; 2. Index and English-Latin Glossary 470; 3. Index of Names 480-484.
Sleigh Jr., Robert C., ed. 2005. The Yale Leibniz: Confessio Philosophi: Papers Concerning the Problem of Evil, 1671-1678. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Original text (Latin, French and German) and English translation.

Translated, Edited and with an Introduction by Robert C. Sleigh, Jr; additional Contributions from Brandon Look and James Stam.

"The Confessio philosophi first appeared in print in a volume edited by Ivan Jagodinsky under the title Leibnitiana inedita “Confessio philosophi” (Kazan, 1915). Subsequently, Yvon Belaval prepared an edition (with a French translation) under the title G. W. Leibniz, “Confessio philosophi”—La Profession de foi du philosophe (Paris: Vrin, 1961). A revised version was published in Paris in 1970. Otto Saame prepared an edition (with a German translation) under the title G. W. Leibniz: “Confessio philosophi” (Frankfurt am Main: Klostermann, 1967, reprinted with minor changes in 1994), based on a careful study of the handwritten manuscripts.

It is to Saame that we owe the identification of the author of the objections, written in the margins.[*] I owe much more than that to Saame. I have often turned to his translation in time of trouble; his scholarship has guided my own. I also acknowledge indebtedness to Yvon Belaval’s translation and to Ezequiel de Olaso, whose scholarship and translation served me well—see “La profesión de se del filósofo,” pages 96–144 of G. W. Leibniz, Escritos Filosoficos (Buenos Aires, 1982); and to Francesco Piro—see his translation “Confessio philosophi” e altri scritti (Naples, 1992); and to Concha Roldán Panadero and Roberto Rodriguez Aramayo— see their translations in Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Escritos en Torno a la Libertad Elazar y el Destino (Madrid, 1990).

(...)

There are two types of annotations in this book. Marginalia and the like (usually Leibniz’s) are presented as footnotes to the text, numbered sequentially with the prefix “L”, as “L1”, etc. Editorial annotations are given as endnotes." (A Note on the Texts, Translations, and Methods of Citation, pp. XV-XVI)

[*} Nicolaus Steno (1636-1686)

Contents: Preface IX; List of Abbreviations XI; A Note on the Texts, Translations, and Methods of Citation XV; Introduction XIX. 1 Evil and Theodicy XIX; 2 The Confessio and Related Texts XIX; 3 Modality XIV; 4 The Author of Sin XXVII; 5 Freedom, Individuation, and the Lament of the Damned XXXVIII-XLI;

Confessio philosophi: Papers Concerning the Problem of Evil, 1671-1678 1;

1. Letter to Magnus Wedderkopf (1671) A II.i, 2; 2. On the Omnipotence and Omniscience of God and the Freedom of Man (1670-71?) A VI.i, 4; 3. ‘The Confession of a Philosopher” (Fall 1672-Winter 1672-73?) A VI.iii, 26; 4. The Author of Sin (1673?) A VI.iii 110; 5. “Conversation with Steno Concerning Freedom" (7 December 1677) A VI.iv, 112; 6. “Middle Knowledge”(November 1677) A VI.iv, 130; 7. “On Free Choice” (Between Summer 1678 and Winter 1680-81?) A VI.iv, 132; 8. On the Necessity of Choosing the Best (1677?) A VI.iv 139; 9. A Demonstration That God Understands All Possibles (1677?) A VI.iv 14o; Notes 143; Index 175-178.
Strickland, Lloyd, ed. 2006. The Shorter Leibniz Texts: A Collection of New Translations. London: Continuum.

"In preparing this volume I had two aims in mind. First, to introduce Leibniz to those studying him for the first time through the two mediums which he most often used - the short essay or note, and the private letter. Second, to make available to the English-speaking scholar a number of important texts that have not appeared in any previous English anthology of Leibniz's works. A brief word on these two aims is in order.

As I noted above, Leibniz wrote no single work that treated the whole of his philosophical system. Despite this it is often tempting to treat one or two of his writings as being generally representative of his thought as a whole, for the sake of convenience if nothing else. This is a temptation that I think ought to be resisted. To get a reasonably adequate understanding of Leibniz's thought requires a student to consult many different texts from various stages in his career. In fact, piecing together Leibniz's thought is not unlike putting together a huge jigsaw. Around 50,000 of Leibniz's writings (totaling some 200,000 pages) have survived to the present day, with most of these being private letters and relatively short essays and notes. With so many texts to choose from, only an unfeasibly large anthology could hope to be truly representative of his thought. In selecting texts for this volume I have tried to choose those that would enable a newcomer to Leibniz to attain a good idea of some of his thoughts on some of the wide range of topics on which he wrote. I have opted not to include two of his most famous works, the Discourse on Metaphysics and the so-called Monadology, partly because I feel neither can be properly understood by a newcomer to Leibniz without a sizeable commentary,(2) and partly because perfectly serviceable translations of both can be found for free on various Internet sites.

No fewer than forty of the selections in this volume are appearing in English for the first time. Around a dozen or so others were previously only available in English in old and now hard to find anthologies, or other works that are not widely accessible to many students or scholars; by including them here, I hope they will reach a wider audience than they might otherwise have done.

In translating the selections in this volume I have tried to find the right balance between accuracy and elegance, with the former always taking priority where both could not be attained simultaneously." (A note on the translations pp. 23-24)

(2) A view in some way vindicated by the fact that both are available in separate editions with sizeable commentaries.

Contents: Acknowledgements XV; Selected Bibliography XVII; Introduction 1; A note on the translations 24;

I. Metaphysics

A. Creation 29; 1. On first truths (middle-end 1680) 29; 2. On the reason why these things exist rather than other things (March-August 1689) 30; 3. On the ultimate origination of things (23 November 1697) 31; 4. Letter to Johann Christian Schulenburg (29 March 1698) 38; 5. Letter to André Morel! (4/14 May 1698) 39;

B. Truth and Substance 40; 1. On the perfect concept of substances (1677?) 40; 2. The principle of human knowledge (winter 1685/1686?) 41; 3. Remarks on Mr. Arnauld's letter concerning my proposition: that the individual concept of each person contains once and for all everything that will ever happen to him (May 1686) 43; 4. Letter to Antoine Arnauld (4/14 July 1686) 47; 5. Logical-metaphysical principles (spring-autumn 1689?) 48; 6. On body and substance truly one (March 1690) 52; 7. Letter to Pierre Dangicourt (1716) 54;

II. Mind, Body and Soul

A. Souls and Their Nature 61; 1. Difficulties concerning the nature and origin of souls (summer 1685-winter 1684/1685) 61; 2. Souls are either created every day or are coeval with the world (summer 1683-wintcr 1684/1685?) 62; 3. On the creation of souls and the origin of minds (summer 1683-winter 1684/1685?) 62; 4. On the souls of men and beasts (1710?) 63;

B. The Relationship Between Soul and Body 68; 1. On the system of occasional causes (March 1689-March 1690?) 68; 2. New system of the nature of the communication of substances, as well as the union that exists between the soul and the body (27 June 1695) 68;

3. Clarification of the 'New system of the communication of substances' (3 January 1696) 77;

C. The Fate of Souls 79; 1. Letter to Electress Sophie (4 November 1696) 79; 2. Letter to Electress Sophie (6 February 1706) 81;

III. Free Will and Necessity

A. The Nature of Free Will 91; 1. On free will (summer 1678-winter 1680/1681?) 91; 2. On freedom and spontaneity (after 1690) 94; 3. Conversation about freedom and fate (1699-1703?) 95;

B. Contingency and Necessity 104; 1. Middle knowledge (November 1677) 104; 2. On freedom from necessity in choosing {summer 1680-summer 1684) 105; 3. A note on freedom and necessity (1680-1684) 110; 4. On contingency (spring-autumn 1689?) 110; 5. Notes on Pierre Bayle's Reply to the Questions from a Provincial (1706) 113;

IV. Science

A. Matter and Body 119; 1. A demonstration against atoms taken from the contact of atoms (23-24 October 1690) 119; 2. Whether the essence of body consists in extension (18 June 1691) 123; 3. Letter to Johann Bernoulli (August-September 1698?) 126; 4. Letter to Burcher de Volder (24 March/3 April 1699) 126; 5. Letter to Thomas Burnett (2 February 1700) 128; 6. Letter to Burcher de Volder (30 June 1704) 129;

B. The Laws of Nature 131; 1. On a general principle useful in explaining the laws of nature through a consideration of the divine wisdom (July 1687) 131; 2. Letter to Pierre Bayle (1702?) 134; 3. Letter to Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle (7 April 1703) 136;

C. Biology 138; 1. On the origin of fossils (late 1670s?) 138; 2. Protogaea (selections) (1691-1693) 140; 3. Letter from G. W. Leibniz (1710) 142;

V. Law and Ethics

A. Law 149; 1. Preface to the Diplomatic Code of People’s Rights (1693) 149; 2. On the death penalty (after 10 July 1697) 152; 3. Expiation (1707-1710) 154; 3. Leiter to Isaac Jacquelot (6 October 1706) 207; 4. Letter to Louis Bourguet (late 1712) 207;

Index 211-214.
Dascal, Marcelo, ed. 2006. G. W. Leibniz: The Art of Controversies. Dordrecht: Springer.

"The idea of a collection of Leibniz’s texts on the art of controversies arose in 1995, in the Institute of Advanced Studies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I had organized an international research group on “Leibniz the Polemicist” for a whole academic year, and the Institute accepted and financed the idea. As fellows of the Institute we maintained a weekly seminar on Leibniz and his controversies and held daily conversations and sometimes fierce discussion about the texts we studied together. In the course of that memorable year in Jerusalem, two of us – Quintín Racionero and myself – became convinced that this overlooked aspect of Leibniz’s work deserved to be brought to the attention of the learned public in the form of a book. This idea developed into the project, which after ten years of intermittent work throughout the world, new partners, countless modifications, and many other vicissitudes, comes now to fruition in the form of this volume. It has been a challenge that only persevering cooperative work, gracious support by many colleagues, friends and institutions, and a firm belief in the value of the effort could face. Let all those who made it be faced be thanked and explicitly mentioned, as far as my memory can be trusted." (Acknowledgements, p. XV)

Contents: Abbreviations XI; About the Apparatus XIII; Acknowledgements XV; Introductory Essay XIX-LXXII;

1. Vices of Mingled Disputes [1668-1671 Edition: A VI 2 387-389] 1; 2. The Controversy of Controversies Date: 1669-1671 Edition: A VI 1 548-559] 7; 3. The Religion of a Peasant [November 1673 Edition: A VI 3 152-154] 25; 4. The Elements of Thinking [April 1676 Edition: A VI 3 504-507] 29; 5. The Balance of Law [1676(?) Edition: C 210-214; LH IV, VI, 17, 1-2] 35; 6. Can there be an Obligation to Believe? [First half of 1677 (?) Edition: A VI 4 C 2149-2155] 41; 7. Controversies on Sacred Matters [1677? Edition: A VI 4 C 2163-2167] 49; 8. The Judge of Controversies [1677 Edition: A VI 4 C 2155-2163] 55; 9. Towards a Heuristics for Litigation [1677-1678 Edition: A VI 4 C 2754-2755; GR 749] 65; 10. The Method of Jurists and the Method of Doctors [1677-1678 Edition: A VI 4 C 2755-2756] 75; 11. Interpretation and Argumentation in Law [1678-1679 Edition: A VI 4 C 2781; GR 632] 77; 12. Towards a Heuristics for Discovery [1678? Edition: A VI 4 A 79-83] 93; 13. Estimating the Uncertain [Date: September 1678 A VI 4 A 92-101] 105; 14. Towards a Numerical Universal Language [1679? Edition: A VI 4 A 263-270; GP VII 184-189] 119; 15. The Encyclopedia and the Method of Discovery [15 June 1679 Edition: A VI 4 A 338-349; C 30-41] 129; 16. Towards a Heuristics for Persuading [1669-1670 Edition: A VI 2 276] 143; 17, The Other's Place [1679? Edition: A IV 3 903-904; GR 699-701] 163; 18. Persuading a Skeptic [1679-1681 Edition: A VI 4 C 2245-2283; FC II 512-546] 167; 19. On Controversies [1680 Edition: A IV 3 204-212] 201; 20. On Principles [1679-1685 (?) Edition: A 6 4 A 124-125; C 183-184] 209; 21. Two Prefaces to the General Science [Spring 1682 (?) Edition: A VI 4 A 440-441] 213; 22. Introduction to a Secret Encyclopedia [1683-1685 (?) Edition: A VI 4 A 525-531; C 511-515] 219; 23. On the Creation of a New Logic [1683-1685 (?) Edition: A VI 4 A 532-537] 225; 24. New Openings [1686 Edition: A VI 4 A 686-691] 231; 25. Theology and the Principle of Contradiction [1685 Edition: VI 4 C 2340-2342] 237; 26. Changing Religion [1686/1687 Edition: A IV 3 305-309; GR 167-170] 241; 27. Methods of Reunion [November 1687 Edition: A I 5 10-21; FC II 1-21] 247; 28. An Ars Characteristica for the Rational Sciences [1688? Edition: A VI 4 909-915; GP VII 198-203] 263; 29. Characterizing Definitions and Demonstrating Propositions [1688 Edition: A VI 4 A 924-925; GR 548-549; C 400 (partial)] 271: 30. Advancing the Art of Discovery [1688-1690 Edition: A VI 4 A 963-970] 275; 31. Correspondence with the Hamburg Jungians: A. Leibniz to Placcius [March 1679 Edition: A II 1 692-694; D VI 1 27-29] 285; B. Leibniz to Placcius [14 January 1687 Edition: D VI 1 36-37] 29; C. Leibniz-Vegetius-Leibniz [between 7 December 1686 and 4 March 1687 Edition: D VI 1 38-39] 291; D. Leibniz to Placcius [1687 Edition: D VI 1 21-22] 295; E. Leibniz to Placcius [17 April 1695 Edition: D VI 1 52-53] 296; F. Leibniz to Placcius [17 April 1695 Edition: D VI 1 52-53] 297; 32. The Philosophical Sin Controversy [1689 Edition: A VI 4 C 2699-2700] 05; 33. Confronting the Catholic Hardliners: Two Memoirs for Pellisson. A. First memoir [August 1690 Edition: A I 6 73-81] 309; B. Second memoir [October 1690 Edition: A I 6 115-121] 315; 34. Defining what Pertains to Faith [1692 Edition: A IV 4 582] 325; 35. Judgment of a Catholic Doctor [1694 Edition: A I 10 156-169] 329; 36. Presumptions and Fictions in Legal Argumentation: Correspondence with Johannes Werlhof. A. Leibniz to Werlhof [July 1696 Edition: A I 12 691; GR 846] 341; B. Leibniz to Werlhof [1687-1696? Edition: A I 12, 692-696; GR 842-846] 343; C. Werlhof to Leibniz [14 July 1696 Edition: A I 12 713-715; GR 846-848] 347; D. Leibniz to Werlhof [17 July 1696 Edition: A I 12 740-741; GR 848] 349; E. Werlhof to Leibniz [4 August 1696 Edition: A I 13 207-208; GR 849] 350; F. Leibniz to Werlhof [7 August 1696 Edition: A I 13 209-210; Grua 849-851] 352; 37. The ‘Method of Establishments' To Thomas Burnett of Kemeny [1 February 1697 Edition: A I 13 547-559; GP III 186-197] 359; 38. The Achievements of Logic and Beyond. To Gabriel Wagner [27 February 1697 Edition: GP VII 514-527] 373; 39. Pacts. Contracts, and Natural Law [18 January 1700 Edition: LH 2,6 13-18; GR 868-870 (partial)] 391; 40. Approaching the Church of England A. Annotatos's Preface (A) [December 1705 (?) Edition: GR 457-461] 399; B. Annotations to the Translator's Preface [December 1705 (?) Edition: GR 466] 405; C. Synopsis [December 1705(?) Edition: GR 473-477] 406; 41. Dialectic Principles and their Application A. The Strength and Weakness of Reason [1706 Edition: GR 62] 420; B. Between Clark and Leclerc [1706 Edition: GR 62-64] 420; C. Letter to Jaquelt [6 October 1706 Edition: GR 64-68] 422; 42. The History and Tasks of Logic. To Cornelius Dietrich Koch [2 September 1708 Edition: GP VII 476-479; LBr 86 Bl. 47-48] 429; 43. Bold Conjectures. To Louis Bourguet [22 March 1714 Edition: GP III 564-570] 435; 44. The Dynamics of Formulating and Expounding the System. To Nicolas-François Remond [26 August 1714 Edition: GP III 624-625] 445; 45. The Use of Logic against Skepticism. To Karl G. Ehler [10 May 1716 Edition: D V 1 403-404] 451; Biographical Notes 455; References 473; Subject Index 483; Name Index 509-516.

References

A = Samtliche Schriften und Briefe. Edited since 1923 by various Leibniz Research Centers in Germany. Currently published by Akademie Verlag, Berlin.

C = Opuscules et fragments inedits. Edited by L. Couturat. Paris, 1903 (repr. Hildesheim, 1966).

D = D = Opera Omnia. Edited by L. Dutens. Geneve, 1767 (repr. Hildesheim, 1989).

FC = Oeuvres de Leibniz. Edited by A. Foucher de Careil. Paris 1859-1875 (repr. Hildesheim, 1969).

GR = Textes inedits. Edited by G. Grua. Paris, 1948.

LH = Leibniz-Handschriften, Niedersachsischen Landesbibliothek Hannover.

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