Springer Leibniz and the Natural World - Philosophy Book 58

Explore a fresh perspective on Leibnizian metaphysics in Leibniz and the Natural World. In this scholarly work, Pauline Phemister challenges the long-standing Anglo-American view that Leibniz was strictly an idealist. By re-reading his texts without the assumption of idealism, this book reveals the material aspects of his philosophy that are often overlooked. Readers will discover a unique synthesis of idealism and materialism. Phemister argues that Leibniz's ontology includes indivisible, living, animal-like corporeal substances as real components of the metaphysical landscape. This study provides a necessary correction to traditional interpretations, offering a deeper look at how Leibniz understood the relationship between mind-like beings and physical reality. This volume is part of The New Synthese Historical Library (58) and serves as an essential resource for students and scholars interested in the history of philosophy, metaphysics, and the nature of corporeal substances. It provides a rigorous academic analysis of how Leibniz's work bridges the gap between the mental and the material worlds.