Category: Biographies

Leibniz's New Essays Concerning the Human Understanding: A Critical Exposition

"He who knows me only by my writings does not know me," said Leibniz. These words--true, indeed, of every writer, but true of Leibniz in a way which gives a peculiar interest and charm to his life--must be our excuse for prefacing what is to be said of his "New Essays concerni...

Chapters

24. CHAPTER XII.

In the exposition now completed we have in general taken for granted the truth and coherency of Leibniz's fundamental ideas, and have contented ourselves with an account of the...

20. CHAPTER VIII.

We have seen the necessity and nature of matter as deductions from the fundamental principles of Leibniz. We have seen that matter is a phenomenon or manifestation of spirit in...

22. CHAPTER X.

The third book of Locke's Essay is upon words and language; and in the order of treatment this would be the next topic for discussion. But much of what is said in this connectio...

15. CHAPTER III.

Leibniz, like every great man, absorbed into himself the various thoughts of his time, and in absorbing transformed them. He brought into a focus of brilliancy the diffused ligh...

14. CHAPTER II.

What is true of all men is true of philosophers, and of Leibniz among them. Speaking generally, what they are unconsciously and fundamentally, they are through absorption of the...

18. CHAPTER VI.

Locke, after discussing the subject of innate ideas in their relation to knowledge, goes on to discuss their practical side, or connection with will. We shall follow him in this...

17. CHAPTER V.

A careful study of the various theories which have been held concerning sensation would be of as much interest and importance as an investigation of any one point in the range o...

16. CHAPTER IV.

The reader, impatient of what may have seemed an over-long introduction, has perhaps been asking when he was to be brought to the subject under consideration,--the relations of...

19. CHAPTER VII.

Locke's account of innate ideas and of sensation is only preparatory to a discussion of the ideas got by sensation. His explanation of the mode of knowledge leads up to an expla...

13. CHAPTER I.

"He who knows me only by my writings does not know me," said Leibniz. These words--true, indeed, of every writer, but true of Leibniz in a way which gives a peculiar interest an...

21. CHAPTER IX.

The fundamental category of Locke, as of all who take simply a mechanical view of experience, is that of substance. He had good reason to be surprised when the Bishop of Worcest...

23. CHAPTER XI.

One of the chapters concerning knowledge is entitled, "The Knowledge that we have of God." This introduces us to the theology of Leibniz and indirectly to the completion of thos...

12. CHAPTER XII.

10. CHAPTER X.

8. CHAPTER VIII.

11. CHAPTER XI.

9. CHAPTER IX.

5. CHAPTER V.

6. CHAPTER VI.

7. CHAPTER VII.

4. CHAPTER IV.

2. CHAPTER II.

1. CHAPTER I.

3. CHAPTER III.