Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
German polymath who independently co-invented calculus with Newton and developed a philosophical system of monads as the basic constituents of reality. His Theodicy coined the word and attempted to justify God's goodness in a world of evil. He also designed calculating machines and proposed international organizations for peace.
Works
- MonadologyMetaphysics proposing ultimate reality as infinite simple substances or monads
- TheodicyDefense of divine goodness and explanation for evil in the world
- New Essays on Human UnderstandingCritique of Locke's empiricism and defense of innate ideas and reason
- Discourse on MetaphysicsLeibniz's foundational system of substance, causation, and divine perfection
- Specimen DynamicumPhysical theory explaining motion, force, and energy in matter