Leibniz Lectures (Spring 1947)

Abstract

This hitherto unpublished manuscript of P.F. Strawson dates back to the very beginning of his academic career, when he already combined a special focus on the philosophy of logic and language with a serious interest in early modern philosophy from Descartes to Kant. Appointed Assistant Lecturer in Philosophy at Bangor, in Spring 1947 he “also lectured on the philosophy of Leibniz (studied mainly in the Gerhardt edition)” (Strawson 2011, 230). Later, Strawson’s early acquaintance with Leibniz’s philosophical works was to play a prominent role in one of his most significant books, Individuals: An Essay in Descriptive Metaphysics (1959), whose First Part ends with a chapter on Leibnizian monads. Thus, Strawson’s 1947 “Leibniz Lectures” offer a unique insight into the author’s longstanding concern with Leibnizian thought. Transcribed by Harry Strawson. Revised by Galen Strawson, with additional revisions by Matteo Favaretti Camposampiero.