Leibniz's correspondence in science, technology and medicine (1676--1701). Core themes and core texts

Collections of reprinted articles (00B60) Research exposition (monographs, survey articles) pertaining to history and biography (01-02) History of mathematics in the 17th century (01A45)

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This monumental volume is worth praising. It is based on the first eight volumes of the third series of the academy edition of Leibniz's complete works and letters covering the 26 years from 1676 up to 1701. The author distinguishes between eleven core themes:1. Biographical background, 2. Mathematics, 3. Natural philosophy, 4. Physics, 5. Energy conversion, transmission, storage and power technology, 6. Engineering, 7. Projects, 8. Alchemy and chemistry, 9. Earth sciences: Geology, mineralogy, paleontology and ethnography, etymology, 10. Biology and life sciences, 11. Medicine. The extensive introduction consisting of 267 pages gives a survey of these eleven themes. In order to present the core texts of the correspondence in science, technology and medicine of the considered period it is divided into the following six chapters: 1676--June 1683, July 1683--1690, 1691--1693, 1694-June 1696, July 1696--1698, 1699--1701. In principle every chapter is structured according to the eleven mentioned core themes. Some chapters have even more than eleven issues. 729 pages are needed to that end. \N\NThe epilogue comprehends ten subject-related theses that are based on statements made by Leibniz in certain letters. In the field of mathematics it is a letter to Detlev Clüver: Thesis 1 reads that Leibniz was convinced that his calculus and indeed all of his mathematics was rooted in experience (or experiment) in the physical world (p. 863). In the field of natural philosophy it is a letter to Denis Papin: Thesis 2 reads that he was convinced that his natural philosophy was rooted both in reason and in experiment, or at least thought experiment (p. 870f.). In the field of physics it is a letter to Augustinus Vaget: Thesis 3 reads that he was convinced that Newton's argument against vortices, in the theory of planetary motion, did not appear to extirpate, or dispose of, his own sufficiently consolidated position (p. 874) etc. The concluding thesis is based on a letter to Georg Wolfgang Wedel: Science should in the last analysis be separated from religion (p. 899). This exemplary volume being extremely full of meaning concludes by a huge bibliography of 57 pages and a magnificent, gigantic subject index of more than hundred pages.

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