Rigid Beams and the Foundations of Physics

Abstract

Abstract This chapter explores Leibniz’s ingenious treatment of the breaking strength of rigid bodies. In 1684, in a seminal paper published in the Acta Eruditorum, Leibniz offered a model of the behavior of rigid bodies that crucially takes it for granted that rigid beams must satisfy his Principle of Optimality. In doing so, he successfully arrived at an improved formula for calculating the strength of a cubic beam. Beyond its scientific results, however, Leibniz’s approach to the problem of determining the breaking strength of rigid beams had profound implications for the structure and nature of matter itself. This chapter draws out the implications of Leibniz’s account for his views on the nature of forces and material bodies. It concludes by considering the implications of Leibniz’s thinking about forces and bodies for his understanding of the relationship between monads and space.