Philosophy 471

Leibniz and Spinoza

G. W. Leibniz

Baruch Spinoza

1. Course materials

1.1. Introduction to metaphysical puzzles

1.2. Lecture on Parmenides of Elea

1.3. Lectures on Leibniz

• Lecture on Leibniz's life
• First lecture on monads
• Second lecture on monads
• Third lecture on monads
• Fourth lecture on monads
• Fifth lecture on monads
• Lecture on first principles of theoretical reason and the existence of God
• Lecture on the existence of God
• Lecture on the existence of God and on monadic causation
• Lecture on modality
• Lecture on modality, transworld identity and personal identity
• Lecture on personal identity and Leibniz's philosophy of science

1.4. Lectures on Spinoza

• First lecture on Spinoza
• Second lecture on Spinoza
• Fourth lecture on Spinoza
• Fifth lecture on Spinoza
• Sixth lecture on Spinoza
• Last lecture on Spinoza's theory of mind
• Lecture on Part III of the Ethics
• Lecture on Part IV of the Ethics
• Lecture on Spinoza on will, sin and freeing ourselves from the bondage of the emotions

1.4. Handouts, etc.

• Handout for fourth lecture on Leibniz
• Handout on Principle of Sufficient Reason for February 11 
• St. Anselm reading for February 13
• Handout on ontological arguments
• Handout on Leibniz's account of modality
• Course syllabus [periodically updated with detailed readings]
• Some possible paper topics on Spinoza

2. Leibniz and Spinoza resources

• Electronic texts by Leibniz and Spinoza (for Georgetown users and other PastMasters subscribers only)
• The Leibniz page
• Studia Spinoza
• "Can Two Equal Infinity?"  A draft of a paper of mine on Spinoza on the attributes of God.