history of philosophy-第80章
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xxiii。 § 23； p。 181。
18。 Leibnitzii Principia philosophim； § 65…71； p。 28； Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 3； 4；
pp。 32； 33。
19。 Leibnitzii Principia philosophim； § 29…31； p。 24； Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 5； p。
34； Essais de Th6odic6e； T。 I。 P。 1。 § 44； p。 115。
20。 Leibnitz ： Priucipes de la nature et de la grace； § 7； p。 36。
21。 Leibnitz： Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 8； p。 35； Principia philosophi？； § 43…46； p。
25。
22。 Leibnitz： Essais de Théodicée； T。 I。 P。 I。 § 6…8； pp。 83…85； Principes de la nature et de la
grace； § 10； p。 36。
23。 Leibnitz： Essais de Théodicée； T。 I。 P。 I。 § 20； pp。 96； 97； § 32； 33； pp。 106； 107； T。 II。 P。
II。 § 153； pp。 57； 58； § 378； pp。 256； 257。
24。 Leibnitzii Causa Dei asserta per justitiam ejus （Essais de Théodicée； T。 II。）； § 34…39； pp。
385； 386。
25。 Leibnitz： Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 3； p。 33； Premier éclaircissement du système
de la communication des substances； p。 70。
26。 Leibnitz： Second et troisième éclaircissemens du système de la communication des substances；
pp。 71…73。
27。 Leibnitzii Principia philosophi？； § 82； p。 30； Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 11； p。
36。
28。 Leibnitz： Système nouveau de la nature et de la communication des substances； pp。 54； 55。
29。 Leibnitzii Principia philosophi？； § 90； p。 31； Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 12； 13；
pp。 36； 37； § 15； pp。 37； 38。
30。 Leibnitzii Oper。 T。 II。 P。 I。 pp。 75； 76。
31。 Leibnitzii Principia philosoph。； § 58…62； p。 27； Oper。 T。 II。 P。 I。 pp。 46； 47。
32。 Leibnitz： Essais de Théodicée； T。 I。 P。 I。 § 9； pp。 85； 86。
33。 Leibnitz： Principes de la nature et de la grace； § 12； 13； pp。 36； 37； Oper。 T。 II。 P。 I。 p。 337。
34。 Leibnitz： Essais de Théodicée； T。 II。 P。 III。 § 291； pp。 184； 185； T。 I。 P。 I。 § 50； p。 119。
Section Two： Period of the Thinking Understanding
Chapter I。 — The Metaphysics of the Understanding
C 2。 WOLFF
The philosophy of Wolff is directly connected with that of Leibnitz； for really it is a pedantic
systematization of the latter； for which reason it is likewise called the Leibnitz…Wolffian system of
philosophy。 Wolff attained to great distinction in mathematics and made himself famous by his
philosophy as well； the latter was for long predominant in Germany。 In Wolff； as a teacher dealing
with the understanding； we find a systematic exposition of the philosophic element present in
human conceptions as a whole。 As regards his connection with German culture generally； great
and immortal praise is more especially due to him； before all others he may be termed the teacher
of the Germans。 We may indeed say that Wolff was the first to naturalize philosophy in Germany。
Tschirnhausen and Thomasius likewise participated in this honour； for the special reason that they
wrote upon Philosophy in the German language。 In regard to the matter of the philosophy of
Tschirnhausen and Thomasius we have not much to say； it is so…called healthy reason … there is in
it the superficial character and the empty universality always to be found where a beginning is
made with thought。 In this case the universality of thought satisfies us because every thing is
present there； just as it is present in a moral maxim which has； however； no determinate content in
its universality。 Wolff； then； was the first to make； not exactly Philosophy； but thoughts in the form
of thought； into a general possession； and he substituted this in Germany for mere talk originating
from feeling； from sensuous perception； and from the ordinary conception。 This is most important
from the point of view of culture； and yet it does not really concern us here； excepting in so far as
the content in this form of thought has caused itself to be recognized as Philosophy。 This
philosophy； as a philosophy of the understanding； became the ordinary culture of the day； in it；
determinate； intelligent thought is the fundamental principle； and it extends over the whole circle of
objects which fall within the region of knowledge。 Wolff defined the world of consciousness for
Germany； and for the world in general； in the same wide sense in which we may say that this was
done by Aristotle。 What distinguishes him from Aristotle is that in so doing the point of view that
he adopted was that of the understanding merely； while Aristotle treated the subject speculatively。
The philosophy of Wolff is hence no doubt built on foundations laid by Leibnitz； but yet in such a
manner that the speculative interest is quite eliminated from it。 The spiritual philosophy； substantial
in a higher sense； which we found emerging first in Boehme； though still in a peculiar and
barbarous form； has been quite lost sight of； and has disappeared without leaving any traces or
effects in Germany； his very language was forgotten。
The principal events in Christian Wolff's life are these： He was the son of a baker； and was born at
Breslau in 1679。 He first studied Theology and then Philosophy； and in 1707 he became Professor
of Mathematics and Philosophy at Halle。 Here the pietistic theologians； and more especially
Lange； treated him in the basest manner。 Piety did not trust this understanding； for piety； if it is
true； embodies a content which is speculative in nature； and which passes beyond the
understanding。 As his opponents could make no headway by their writings； they resorted to
intrigues。 They caused it to be conveyed to King Frederick William I。； the father of Frederick II。；
a rough man who took an interest in nothing but soldiers； that according to the determinism of
Wolff； free will was impossible； and that soldiers could not hence desert of their own free will； but
by a special disposition of God （pre…established harmony） a doctrine which； if disseminated
amongst the military； would be extremely dangerous。 The king； much enraged by this； immediately
issued a decree that within forty…eight hours Wolff should leave Halle and the Prussian States；
under penalty of the halter。 Wolff thus left Halle on the 23rd of November； 1723。 The theologians
added to all this the scandal of preaching against Wolff and his philosophy； and the pious Franke
thanked God on his knees in church for the removal of Wolff。 But the rejoicings did not last long。
Wolff went to Cassel； was there immediately installed first professor in the philosophic faculty at
Marburg； and at the same time made a member of the Academies of Science of London； Paris；
and Stockholm。 By Peter the First of Russia he was made Vice…President of the newly instituted
Academy in St。 Petersburg。 Wolff was also summoned to Russia； but this invitation he declined； he
received； however； an honorary post； he was made a Baron by the Elector of Bavaria； and； in
short； loaded with public honours which； more especially at that time； though even now it is the
case； were very much thought of by the general public； and which were too great not to make a
profound sensation in Berlin。 In Berlin a commission was appointed to pass judgment on the
Wolffian philosophy … for this it had not been possible to eradicate … and it declared the same to
be harmless； that is to say； free from all danger to state and religion； it also forbade the theologians
to make it a subject of dispute； and altogether put an end to their clamour。 Frederick William now
issued a recall in very respectful terms to Wolff； who； however； hesitated to comply with it owing
to his lack of confidence in its sincerity。 On the accession of Frederick II。 in 1740 he was again
recalled in terms of the highest honour （Lange had meanwhile died）； and only then did be comply。
Wolff became Vice…Chancellor of the University； but he outlived his repute； and his lectures at the
end were very poorly attended。 He died in 1754。（1）
Like Tschirnhausen and Thomasius； Wolff wrote a great part of his works in his mother tongue；
while Leibnitz for the most part wrote only in Latin or French。 This is an important matter； for； as
we have already noticed （pp。 114 and 150）； it is only when a nation possesses a science in its own
language that it can really be said t
