The Correspondence with De Volder

Abstract Leibniz’s correspondence with Burcher de Volder contains some of his most important philosophical writings. Taking place between 1698 and 1706, the correspondence engages a range of issues including the nature of substance, causation, space and time, the proper measure of force in physics, and the relation between physics and metaphysics. It is most famous for containing extensive remarks on Leibniz’s theory of monads, though the extent to which he was committed to this theory throughout the correspondence is a matter of great scholarly controversy. I suggest that one of the keys for interpreting this correspondence is to recognize its pedagogical character. Leibniz did not straightforwardly present his metaphysics to De Volder at the beginning of the correspondence; rather, he gradually revealed his views in an effort to rid De Volder of his philosophical prejudices and enable him to recognize the true metaphysical system.