Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) was a German polymath, best known as a major philosopher and as a co-inventor of calculus alongside Isaac Newton. He is often described as one of the last “universal geniuses” because he made significant contributions to philosophy, mathematics, logic, law, history, theology, and early computing ideas.

Life and roles

Leibniz was born in Leipzig in 1646 and spent much of his career in German courts, especially in Hanover, working as a legal adviser, diplomat, and librarian. His court positions gave him the freedom to pursue wide-ranging scholarly work and to correspond with intellectuals across Europe.

Work in mathematics

In mathematics, Leibniz independently developed differential and integral calculus and introduced much of the notation still used today, such as the integral sign and ddd for differentials. He also created a version of the binary number system, which later became fundamental to digital computing, and designed an early mechanical calculating machine.

Philosophy and logic

Philosophically, Leibniz is one of the central early modern rationalists, alongside Descartes and Spinoza. He is known for ideas such as monads (simple, soul-like substances), pre-established harmony, and the claim that this is “the best of all possible worlds,” as well as for foundational work in formal and symbolic logic.

Broader influence

Beyond math and philosophy, Leibniz worked on law, political theory, theology, history, linguistics, and library science, helping develop early cataloguing systems. He was instrumental in founding learned societies, including the precursor of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, and his ideas influenced many Enlightenment and later thinkers.