Leibniz and China

Description

"Why was Leibniz so fascinated by Chinese philosophy and culture? What specific forms did his interest take? How did his interest compare with the relative indifference of his philosophical contemporaries and near-contemporaries such as Spinoza and Locke? In this highly original book, Franklin Perkins examines Leibniz's voluminous writings on the subject and suggests that his interest was founded in his own philosophy: the nature of his metaphysical and theological views required him to take Chinese thought seriously. Leibniz was unusual in holding enlightened views about the intellectual profitability of cultural exchange, and in a broad-ranging discussion Perkins charts these views, their historical context, and their social and philosophical ramifications. The result is an illuminating philosophical study which also raises wider questions about the perils and rewards of trying to understand and learn from a different culture."--BOOK JACKET.

First Sentence

If we insist on characterizing our age as multicultural, we should recognize it as a late phase of an age that began with increased pressure and contact with the Islamic world in the twelfth century.

Subjects

Other Editions

• Leibniz and China: A Commerce of LightHardcoverCambridge University Press2004-03-29
• Leibniz and ChinaPaperbackCambridge University Press2007-12-17
• Leibniz and ChinaCambridge University Press2011-01-01