Emilie du Châtelet Between Leibniz and Newton: The Transformation of Metaphysics
2011; Springer Nature (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês
10.1007/978-94-007-2093-0_1
ISSN2215-0307
Autores Tópico(s)History of Science and Natural History
ResumoThe most famous remark of Emilie du Chatelet that physics cannot happen without metaphysics is the marker for this essay on the transformation of metaphysics in the eighteenth century. Starting with introductory remarks on the effects that Emilie du Chatelet made in her lifetime, her central position in the French Enlightment with Voltaire, La Mettrie and Maupertuis, as well as the international respect and the especially intensive reception in Germany will be introduced to the debate, which will also document the state of research as well as selected debates of the Enlightment period concerning Newton and Leibniz. The main thesis is built on Du Chatelet's intellectual independent thought, her early and critical Lockeianism, which consequently shows that the Marquise's scientific universalism was already outlined before she became acquainted with Leibnizian ideas. The analysis of Du Chatelet's correspondence to Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis sheds new light on this relationship. Samuel König, who had accused her of having copied from Leibniz or himself, also had a trial of plagiarism against Maupertuis. While Maupertuis ignored her discussion on solid bodies and the problems of conservation in the letters, he took up her ideas in his thoughts concerning his Principle of Least Action. Du Chatelet's approach to metaphysics even shows interesting relations to La Mettrie. The relationship between La Mettrie, Maupertuis und Du Châtelet is given considerable weight, covering thinking matter, materialism and "dangerous metaphysics".
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