Ideas for the Philosophy of the History of Mankind

by Johann Gottfried Herder

2024 · Princeton University Press

One of the most important works of the Enlightenment—in the first new, unabridged English translation in more than two centuries Published in four volumes between 1784 and 1791, Herder’s Ideas for the Philosophy of the History of Mankind is one of the most important works of the Enlightenment—a bold, original, and encyclopedic synthesis of, and contribution to, the era’s philosophical debates over nature, history, culture, and the very meaning of human experience. This is the first new, unabridged English translation of the Ideas in more than two centuries. Gregory Martin Moore’s lively, modern English text, extensive introduction, and commentary bring this neglected masterpiece back to life. The Ideas—which engages with many of the leading thinkers of the eighteenth century, such as Montesquieu, Kant, Gibbon, Ferguson, Buffon, and Rousseau—is many things at once: an inquiry into the unity and purpose of history, a reflection on human nature and the place of humans in the cosmic order, an examination of what was beginning to be called “culture,” and a narrative of cultural progress across time among different peoples. Along the way, Herder considers a dizzying variety of topics, including the formation of the earth and solar system, species change, race, the immortality of the soul, the establishment of society, and the pursuit of happiness. Above all, the Ideas is an anthropology—what Alexander Pope had termed an “essay on man”—pervaded by an appropriately humane spirit. A fresh and much-needed modern translation of the complete Ideas, this volume reintroduces English readers to a classic of Enlightenment thought.

Delphi Collected Works of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (Illustrated)

by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

2025 · Delphi Classics

The German polymath Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz has been called the “last universal genius” due to his vast expertise across numerous fields. A prominent figure in both the history of philosophy and the world of mathematics, Leibniz produced groundbreaking works on theology, ethics, politics, law, history, physics, music and other studies. As a philosopher, he was a leading representative of seventeenth century rationalism and idealism, being especially noted for his optimism and his famous conclusion that our world is “the best possible world that God could have created”. As a mathematician, he developed the main ideas of calculus and devised the binary number system that is the basis of modern digital computing and communications. This eBook presents Leibniz’ collected works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Leibniz’ life and works * Concise introductions to the major texts * Features rare treatises and dialogues * Images of how the texts were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts * Excellent formatting of the texts * Easily locate the sections you want to read with contents tables * Special criticism section, with essays evaluating Leibniz’ contribution to world literature * Features two biographies – discover Leibniz’ incredible life CONTENTS: The Works System of Theology (1686) Discourse on Metaphysics (1686) A Philosopher’s Creed (1673) Extracts from the ‘New Essays on the Understanding’ (1704) Theodicy (1710) Monadology (1714) The Philosophical Works of Leibnitz (1890) Correspondence with Baruch Spinoza The Criticism An Abstract of a Book Lately Published Entitled a Treatise of Human Nature Etc. (1740) by David Hume Leibnitz (1837) by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz (1858) by Frederic Henry Hedge Leibniz Rewritten (1899) by Charles Sanders Peirce Leibniz as a Politician (1911) by Adolphus William Ward The Biographies Life and Philosophy of Leibnitz (1856) by Alexander Campbell Fraser Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz (1911) by William Ritchie Sorley

Protogaea

by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

2008 · University of Chicago Press

Protogaea, an ambitious account of terrestrial history, was central to the development of the earth sciences in the eighteenth century and provides key philosophical insights into the unity of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz’s thought and writings. In the book, Leibniz offers observations about the formation of the earth, the actions of fire and water, the genesis of rocks and minerals, the origins of salts and springs, the formation of fossils, and their identification as the remains of living organisms. Protogaea also includes a series of engraved plates depicting the remains of animals—in particular the famous reconstruction of a “fossil unicorn”—together with a cross section of the cave in which some fossil objects were discovered. Though the works of Leibniz have been widely translated, Protogaea has languished in its original Latin for centuries. Now Claudine Cohen and Andre Wakefield offer the first English translation of this central text in natural philosophy and natural history. Written between 1691 and 1693, and first published after Leibniz’s death in 1749, Protogaea reemerges in this bilingual edition with an introduction that carefully situates the work within its historical context.