A Prescriptive Reading of Leibniz's Notion of the Individual and the Labyrinth of Human Freedom

Leibniz's work is influencing the technicized, scientifically-structured world of today in a way it has never done before: his binary number system and his logical calculi, his calculating machine and his form of the differential calculus have had a determining effect not only on natural science, but also on the representation and processing of information. Yet, while recognizing this, it is often forgotten what central role in his thought was played by the individual and its freedom and by organic life in its substantial foundation. Or how important for him was the concept of universal justice based on rational argumentation, the historicity of languages in their power of expression, not to mention his efforts to achieve unity of the Christian religions in their rational core and the balance of power among the states from Europe through Russia to China and including the New World. Important above all, however, was that he embraced these manifold problems as unity in diversity: if nothing is without reason, then everything in the plurality of man, nature, and technology must be seen in this harmony. The VIIth International Leibniz Congress focusses on the many-sided nature of Leibniz's work in this context of a universal and sense-giving harmony. It thus seeks to address a central problem of today, namely the necessity to refer the analytically-acquired results of singular sciences once again to a common ground and to understand the harmonic unity of our world as a goal to be reached. The VIIth International Leibniz Congress is taking place in Berlin for good reason. It was after all there that the Brandenburg Society of Science was founded in 1700 with Leibniz as President. An important segment of Leibnizian activity is therefore connected with Berlin, represented in particular by the creation of the Academy, the discussions leading up to the Theodicy, and also by numerous political tasks which he sought to carry out there. Leibniz scholars throughout the world are invited to send a one-page summary of their intended contributions before 1 January 2001. Acceptance will be decided upon by 31 January 2001. A reproducible copy of those contributions which have been accepted (maximum 8 pages) is requested by 30 April 2001. These will then be distributed at the conference as a bound volume.