Leibniz: A Guide for the Perplexed

Guides for the Perplexed

by Franklin Perkins

Continuum's Guides for the Perplexed are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to fathom, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material. Gottfried Leibniz is one of the most influential and important European philosophers of the early modern period. Although he wrote no single comprehensive explanation of his philosophy, his contributions to areas of philosophical thought range from mathematics to cultural exchange. However, his ideas often seem strange and abstract and his tendency to harmonize different views can be hugely puzzling for the reader. Students of Lebniz's work and thought regularly face very particular intellectual challenges. A Guide for the Perplexed is a clear and thorough account of Lebniz's philosophy, providing an ideal guide to the important and complex thought of this key philosopher. The book covers the whole range of Leibniz's thought, offering detailed examination of the key areas of his ideas, including the intersections between his metaphysics, epistemology, ethical and political thought and his famous claim that reality consists of monads (unities). Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of Leibniz's thought, the book provides a cogent and reliable survey of his work and ideas. This is the ideal companion to the study of this most influential and challenging of philosophers.

Genres: Philosophy

184 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2007

Reviews

[Imlac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent presentation of Leibniz's philosophy. Very clearly and sensibly written. Working from a deep and broadly informed background in the history of philosophy, Perkins is able to lay out and analyze Leibniz's ideas in a way that makes them less fantastical and forbidding than if one encountered Leibniz directly through, say, the Monadology or the Discourse on Metaphysics. Also, nice comparative discussion with Descartes and Locke.

[Lola Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Franklin's book can be used as a guide to this interesting author. Highly recommended.

[David Haines · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very clear and concise summary of Leibniz's basic philosophical views. It is well written. It is obvious that the author does not agree with Leibniz's Christian beliefs, however this does not stop him from explaining adequately the philosophy of Leibniz.