Spinoza and Leibniz: making sense of the world

What is the course about?

This course is an introduction to the key ideas of two of the great rationalist philosophers, Spinoza and Leibniz. Both were convinced of the power of human reason to allow us to make sense of the world, but this common starting point did not stop them developing accounts of our world, and of human nature which were often deeply at odds with each other. For Spinoza, everything which exists is a necessary consequence of the existence of God. Spinoza soon gained notoriety for his radical rejection of the traditional conception of God – most scandalously, his denial that God could make any free choices, or have any personal relationship with human beings. Leibniz, in contrast, sought to show that the traditional conception of God was philosophically defensible. But he was certainly radical in other ways – most famously in his claim that ultimately everything consists of immaterial, mind-like beings which he calls ‘monads’. This course will allow you to engage with the most radical ideas of both Spinoza and Leibniz, whilst also gaining an understanding of how these ideas form part of their broader systems of thought.

Course tutor, LucySheaf, taught Philosophy and Ethics at a sixth-form college before doing a PhD in Philosophy at King's College London. Her thesis was on Leibniz's response to the problem of evil, and was supervised by Professor Maria Rosa Antognazza. At King's she taught both the 'Spinoza and Leibniz' and 'Philosophy of Religion' modules. She is currently preparing an edition of Leibniz's early philosophical writings on natural law and jurisprudence, which is under contract with Oxford University Press.

What will we cover?

We will start by looking at both Spinoza’s and Leibniz’s metaphysics – i.e., their fundamental account of reality – as this is the foundation for each of their broader philosophical systems. With this in place, we will move on to examine their theory of knowledge, and their ethics – i.e., their accounts of what constitutes a good life for human beings.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

Outline Spinoza’s necessitarianism, his claim that everything that is, is in some sense God, his understanding of human freedom, his notion of ‘conatus’ (or striving/ endeavour), his account of human happiness; Leibniz’s argument that ours is the best of all possible worlds, his theory of monads, and his account of the purpose of human life.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

No previous knowledge of Spinoza’s and Leibniz’s work is assumed, but you will need a willingness to engage with some challenging ideas, and some texts which are opaque in places. Such texts will be fully discussed in class. An open mind and being prepared to listen to and think about views with which you do not always agree are more important than specific levels of skills.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

There will be general introductions to the material from the tutor, but the focus will be on reading key passages from Spinoza’s and Leibniz’s own writings. There will be ample opportunity for group discussion.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Handouts will be provided, but you may wish to bring something to write down further notes from class discussion.