Leibniz and China: A Commerce of Light

by Franklin Perkins

Why was Leibniz so fascinated by Chinese philosophy and culture? What specific forms did his interest take, and how did it compare with the relative indifference of his philosophical contemporaries and others such as Spinoza and Locke? Franklin Perkins examines Leibniz's voluminous writings on the subject and suggests that his interest originated within his own philosophy since the nature of his metaphysical and theological views required him to take Chinese thought seriously.

Genres: China, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History

244 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2004

Reviews

[Sharad Pandian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a small and sometimes dense book on a seemingly obscure topic. But through great scholarship and lucid writing, the book is valuable as a guide to Leibniz's philosophical views, the 17th and 18th century relationship between Europe and China, and the general tensions and complexities involved in intercultural communication.

[Daniel Te · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leibniz, one of the only Western philosophers of his time to (somewhat) legitimately think about other cultures, deserves some praise. The subject matter of this book is compelling, and although it might take some time to wrap your head around Leibniz's philosophy, I think the fact that Perkins brings this topic to light (ha, pun) is something that more philosophers should look into.

[Jason]

too much leibniz but ultimately i did find it prikkelend. last chapter is a good summary