Clear all
Work #546 · Late

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Samuel Clarke
1715-16 · French and English
Philosophical correspondence · Continental rationalism vs. British natural theology

Leibniz-Clarke 1715-16 correspondence — landmark debate on space, time, and Newtonian-Leibnizian metaphysics

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence (Late)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Relational
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Relational
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Central — relational vs. substantival time.

Space

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Central — relational vs. substantival space.

Matter

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Material reality framed by space-time debate.

Observer

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Leibniz and Clarke as opposed metaphysical observers.

Energy

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Energies of conservation in metaphysical debate.

Information

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

Foundational space-time metaphysical debate.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence

The Leibnizian-Newtonian debate set the agenda for philosophy of space and time through Kant to relativity.