Richard Francks – författare

One of the greatest of modern philosophers, on a par with his contemporary John Locke, Leibniz was born in Leipzig in 1646, died in Hanover in 1716. He was a leading figure in European intellectual circles, and the founder of the Academy of Berlin. His strange, complex metaphysical system established him as the third of the great 'Rationalists', after Descartes and Spinoza. Along with the 'New System', his most famous philosophical works are the Discourse of Metaphysics (1685) and Monadology (c.1713). He also made important contributions to logic, mathematics, theology, jurisprudence, and history.Gathered here for the first time are all the key texts in a crucial debate in modern philosophy, centred on Leibniz's famous 1695 essay, the `New System of the Nature of Substances and their Communication'. In this classic essay Leibniz introduced to a broad European readership the strikingly original metaphysical ideas he had come to a decade earlier. His 'system' became increasingly famous and drew him into discussion and development of these ideas, both in public and in private, with a variety of thinkers: Simon Foucher; Henri Basbage de Beauval; Francois Lamy; Isaac Jacquelot; the Englishwoman Damaris Masham; Pierre Desmaizeaux; René Joseph de Tournemine; and most notably the great French philosopher and scholar Pierre Bayle.

One of the greatest of modern philosophers, on a par with his contemporary John Locke, Leibniz was born in Leipzig in 1646, died in Hanover in 1716. He was a leading figure in European intellectual circles, and the founder of the Academy of Berlin. His strange, complex mataphysical system established him as the third of the great `Rationalists', after Descartes and Spinoza. Along with the `New System', his most famous philosophical works are the Discourse of Metaphysics (1685) and Monadology (c.1713). He also made important contributions to logic, mathematics, theology, jurisprudence, and history.Gathered here for the first time are all the key texts in a crucial debate in modern philosophy, centred on Leibniz's famous 1695 essay, the `New System of the Nature of Substances and their Communication'. In this classic essay Leibniz introduced to a broad European readership the strikingly original metaphysical ideas he had come to a decade earlier. His `system' became increasingly famous and drew him into discussion and development of these ideas, both in public and in private, with a variety of thinkers: Simon Foucher; Henri Basbage de Beauval; Francois Lamy; Isaac Jacquelot; the Englishwoman Damaris Masham; Pierre Desmaizeaux; René Joseph de Tournemine; and most notably the great French philosopher and scholar Pierre Bayle.Woolhouse and Francks's new English edition gives the only full representation of this debate, and will therefore be essential reading for anyone who wishes to gain a proper understanding of Leibniz's philosophy and its intelletual context. As Leibniz himself said, "he who knows only what I have published does not know me." All the texts are newly translated and extensively annotated; many appear in English for the first time.

This volume gathers together for the first time the philosophical journal articles that appeared during Leibniz's lifetime under his name or which would have been easily attributed to him due to other identifying marks. Its primary aim is to convey a sense of the way in which Leibniz's philosophical views would have been available to the reading public of the time. The distinction between the papers that Leibniz published that are philosophical and those that are concerned with what was then called 'natural philosophy' is somewhat arbitrary. However, the present volume is a companion to Leibniz: Journal Articles on Natural Philosophy (OUP, 2023), and all the articles that are plausible candidates for the label 'philosophical' can be found in one or the other. Among the thirty articles included here are seminal pieces such as 'Meditations on Knowledge, Truth, and Ideas', 'On the Emendation of First Philosophy', 'On Nature Itself', and the 'New System' and its accompanying 'explanations', along with Leibniz's responses to criticisms of the 'New System' by Pierre Bayle, René-Joseph de Tournemine, and François Lamy. Readers will also encounter less familiar pieces from the early 1690s in which Leibniz engages with Simon Foucher and offers a series of critical discussions of Descartes and Cartesian philosophy. Finally, the collection contains three extended reviews of works by other philosophers: Wolf Heinrich von Lüttichau' Pansophia, Samuel Pufendorf's On The Duty of Man and Citizen, and the Earl of Shaftesbury's Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times. In Three Volumes.

Through vivid and witty prose Richard Francks presents the ideas that have informed the development of philosophy as we know it. Our current approaches to central philosophical problems - the existence of God, the mind/body problem, the idea of the self, and the existence of the world - originated in the texts of these six thinkers, as did broader questions about political and social philosophy. This book is ideal for anyone encountering the ideas of these thinkers for the first time.

Descartes' Meditations is one of the most important texts in the whole history of philosophy. Descartes is widely regarded as the father of modern philosophy and the issues raised in the Meditations have often been taken to define the very nature of philosophy. As such, it is a hugely important and exciting, yet challenging, piece of philosophical writing. In Descartes's Meditations: A Reader's Guide, Richard Francks offers a clear and thorough account of this key philosophical work. The book offers a detailed review of the key themes and a lucid commentary that will enable readers to rapidly navigate the text. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of the text as a whole, the guide explores the complex and important ideas inherent in the text and provides a cogent survey of the reception and influence of Descartes' seminal work. This is the ideal companion to study of this most influential and challenging of texts.

This is a Reader's Guide to one of the most important, and most frequently studied, works in the history of philosophy - an essential addition to the series."Descartes' Meditations" is one of the most important texts in the whole history of philosophy. Descartes is widely regarded as the father of modern philosophy and the issues raised in the Meditations have often been taken to define the very nature of philosophy. As such, it is a hugely important and exciting, yet challenging, piece of philosophical writing.In "Descartes' Meditations: A Reader's Guide", Richard Francks offers a clear and thorough account of this key philosophical work. The book offers a detailed review of the key themes and a lucid commentary that will enable readers to rapidly navigate the text. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of the text as a whole, the guide explores the complex and important ideas inherent in the text and provides a cogent survey of the reception and influence of Descartes' seminal work. This is the ideal companion to study of this most influential and challenging of texts."Continuum Reader's Guides" are clear, concise and accessible introductions to key texts in literature and philosophy. Each book explores the themes, context, criticism and influence of key works, providing a practical introduction to close reading, guiding students towards a thorough understanding of the text. They provide an essential, up-to-date resource, ideal for undergraduate students.

Modern Philosophy is an exploration of the ideas of six major thinkers from Descartes to Hume. It takes a fresh and engaging look at the common themes that dominate this period, as well as examining the differences in the work of the six philosophers.Through vivid and witty prose, Richard Francks skilfully presents ideas that have informed the development of philosophy as we know it, and which present a challenge to beliefs and attitudes that most of us now share. In this work we find the source of modern philosophical inquiry - questions such as the existence of God, the Mind and Body problem, the idea of self, and the existence of the world had their birth in these texts - as well as broader questions about political and social philosophy. Thinkers discussed:Rene DescartesBaruch SpinozaGottfried Willhelm LeibnizJohn LockeGeorge BerkeleyDavid HumeThis will be ideal for anybody coming to the ideas of these philosophers for the first time.

Modern Philosophy is an exploration of the ideas of six major thinkers from Descartes to Hume. It takes a fresh and engaging look at the common themes that dominate this period, as well as examining the differences in the work of the six philosophers.Through vivid and witty prose, Richard Francks skilfully presents ideas that have informed the development of philosophy as we know it, and which present a challenge to beliefs and attitudes that most of us now share. In this work we find the source of modern philosophical inquiry - questions such as the existence of God, the Mind and Body problem, the idea of self, and the existence of the world had their birth in these texts - as well as broader questions about political and social philosophy. Thinkers discussed:Rene DescartesBaruch SpinozaGottfried Willhelm LeibnizJohn LockeGeorge BerkeleyDavid HumeThis will be ideal for anybody coming to the ideas of these philosophers for the first time.

"There are student-friendly introductions to Descartes' Meditations, but I know of none that match the student-friendliness of Richard Francks' Reader's Guide. It will make the masterpiece of the father of modern philosophy available to the widest audience yet." - Professor Tom Sorrel, University of Birmingham, UK In Descartes' Meditations: A Reader's Guide, Richard Francks offers a clear and thorough account of this key philosophical work. The book offers a detailed review of the key themes and a lucid commentary that will enable readers to rapidly navigate the text. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of the text as a whole, the guide explores the complex and important ideas inherent in the text and provides a cogent survey of the reception and influence of Descartes' seminal work.