The Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Sandy Berkovski

TT05

Contents

1  Absolute space and motion
2  Relational space and motion
3  Necessity and contingency
4  The identity of indiscernibles
5  Atomism
6  Summary

1  Absolute space and motion



Why, according to Newton, space is logically prior to bodies? What is its role in explaining motion?


Readings
Newton, [1934,Scholium to Definition VIII]
Alexander, [1956,Clarke,V:13]
Rynasiewicz, [1995]
Barbour, [1989,ch. 11]


Further Readings
Barbour, [1982,257-8]

2  Relational space and motion



Why, according to Leibniz, absolute places have no physical meaning? What is its role in explaining motion, and more specifically, linear velocities?


Readings
Newton, [1934,Scholium to Definition VIII]
Alexander, [1956,I-III]
Broad, [1975,ch. 3, §2]


Further Readings
Garber, [1995]
Broad, [1975,ch. 3, §4]

3  Necessity and contingency



Do contingent propositions depend on the principle of sufficient reason? Why?


Readings
Alexander, [1956,Leib, V]
Broad, [1975,ch. 2, §5]


Further Readings
Broad, [1975,ch. 4, §5; ch. 7, §1]
Mates, [1986,ch. 6]

4  The identity of indiscernibles



Is the identity of indiscernibles a merely contingent principle?


Readings
...

5  Atomism



Assess Leibniz' and Clarke's arguments on atomism.


Readings
Alexander, [1956,Leib, IV]
Alexander, [1956,Cla, III]
Broad, [1975,ch. 3]


Further Readings
Garber, [1995,§4.4]

6  Summary



Could there be an empirical theory of space?


Readings
Alexander, [1956,Leib, III-V]
Alexander, [1956,Cla, III, V]
Broad, [1975,ch. 3, §§2-3; ch. 4, §7; ch. 5, §2]


Further Readings
McRae, [1995]

References

[Alexander 1956]
Alexander, H. G., editor (1956). The Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence. Manchester University Press.
[Barbour 1982]
Barbour, J. (1982). Relational concepts of space and time. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 33:251-74.
[Barbour 1989]
Barbour, J. (1989). Absolute or Relative Motion?, volume 1. Cambridge University Press.
[Broad 1975]
Broad, C. D. (1975). Leibniz: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
[Garber 1995]
Garber, D. (1995). Leibniz: physics and philosophy. In Jolley, [1995].
[Jolley 1995]
Jolley, N., editor (1995). The Cambridge Companion to Leibniz. Cambridge University Press.
[Mates 1986]
Mates, B. (1986). The Philosophy of Leibniz: Metaphysics and Language. OUP.
[McRae 1995]
McRae, R. (1995). The theory of knowledge. In Jolley, [1995].
[Newton 1934]
Newton, I. (1934). Principia. University of California Press. Reprinted in Alexander, [1956].
[Rynasiewicz 1995]
Rynasiewicz, R. (1995). By their properties, causes and effects: Newton's scholium on time, place and motion-I. The text. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 26:133-53.


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