Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a 17th-century philosopher and mathematician whose ideas influenced various fields, including mechanics and metaphysics. In response to Newtonian mechanics, he proposed that space and time are not independent entities but rather relational, defined by the relationships between objects. Leibniz's ontology emphasized monads—simple, indivisible units of existence—contributing to a holistic view of reality. He introduced concepts like continuity in mathematics, vital for continuum mechanics. His philosophical inquiries into the nature of time and reality challenged deterministic views, advocating for a universe governed by principles of harmony and interconnection among all things.