Confessio Philosophi Papers Concerning the Problem of Evil, 1671–1678 G. W. Leibniz, Robert C. Sleigh, Jr.

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Series:: The Yale Leibniz Series
Format:: Hardback
Publication date:: 24 Jan 2006
ISBN:: 9780300089585
Imprint:: Yale University Press
Dimensions:: 220 pages: 235 x 152mm

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This volume contains papers that represent Leibniz’s early thoughts on the problem of evil, centering on a dialogue, the Confessio philosophi, in which he formulates a general account of God’s relation to sin and evil that becomes a fixture in his thinking.

How can God be understood to be the ultimate cause, asks Leibniz, without God being considered as the author of sin, a conclusion incompatible with God’s holiness?

Leibniz’s attempts to justify the way of God to humans lead him to deep discussion of related topics: the nature of free choice, the problems of necessitarianism and fatalism, the nature of divine justice and holiness. All but one of the writings presented here are available in English for the first time.

Robert C. Sleigh, Jr., is emeritus professor of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a general editor of The Yale Leibniz series.

"As a result of the care with which this volume has been prepared, it will surely be indispensable to Leibniz scholars and an outstanding resource for historians of philosophy and philosophers of religion."—Timothy Crockett, The Review of Metaphysics