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Leibniz and the Function of Book Reviews

  • Lucia Oliveri

Leibniz viewed reviews as charitable acts by savants who dedicate part of their time to advancing science and returning it to society. This activity must be disinterested and scientifically honest insofar as it does not bring honor and recognition to the savant. Leibniz was an active reviewer of books for major journals of the time. Does his activity reflect what he says about savants? Through an analysis of a paradigmatic case – his review of John Locke’s An Essay Concerning Human Understanding – I argue that, in this case at least, Leibniz used reviews as a scientific tool to instill prejudices in his scientific peers. By «prejudices», I do not mean false judgments about a book but rather precognitions that one must have to critically assess a book's content, which may incline readers to reject the author's arguments.

  • Keywords:
  • Leibniz,
  • Locke,
  • Review,
  • Innate Ideas,
  • Substance,
  • Matter,
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Lucia Oliveri

University of Münster, Germany - ORCID: 0000-0001-8022-4538

  1. A = Leibniz, G. W. 1923–2021. Sämtliche Schriften und Briefe. Berlin: Akademie Verlag/DeGruyter.
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  12. Gantet, Claire. 2021a. “Leibniz und die gelehrten Journale.” In Wissenskulturen in der Leibniz-Zeit: Konzepte – Praktiken – Vermittlung, hrsg. von Friedrich Beiderbeck, und Claire Gantet, 253–88. Berlin-Boston: De Gruyter. DOI: 10.1515/9783110730593
  13. Gantet, Claire. 2021b. “Leibniz’ Journalartikel – eine Übersicht.” In Wissenskulturen in der Leibniz-Zeit: Konzepte – Praktiken – Vermittlung, hrsg. von Friedrich Beiderbeck, und Claire Gantet, 289–322. Berlin-Boston: De Gruyter. DOI: 10.1515/9783110730593
  14. Giampietri, Francesco, a cura di. 2012. Leibniz allo specchio. Dissimulazioni erudite. Milano: Mimesis.
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  16. Locke, John. 1688. “Extrait d’un livre anglais qui n’est pas encore publié, intitulé : Essay philosophique concernant l’entendement humain.” Bibliothèque universelle et historique 8: 49–142.
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  • Publication Year: 2026
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  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
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  • Publication Year: 2026
  • Content License: CC BY 4.0
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Chapter Information

Chapter Title

Leibniz and the Function of Book Reviews

Authors

Lucia Oliveri

Language

English

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0999-1.03

Peer Reviewed

Publication Year

2026

Copyright Information

© 2026 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Bibliographic Information

Book Title

Philosophical Reviews in German Territories (1668-1799)

Book Subtitle

Volume 2

Editors

Pasquale Terraciano, Francesco Valerio Tommasi

Peer Reviewed

Number of Pages

282

Publication Year

2026

Copyright Information

© 2026 Author(s)

Content License

CC BY 4.0

Metadata License

CC0 1.0

Publisher Name

Firenze University Press

DOI

10.36253/979-12-215-0999-1

ISBN Print

979-12-215-0998-4

eISBN (pdf)

979-12-215-0999-1

eISBN (epub)

979-12-215-1060-7

Series Title

Knowledge and its Histories

Series ISSN

3035-5974

Series E-ISSN

3035-5923

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