Wolff and the First Fifty Years of German Metaphysics

"""Christian Wolff was the leading philosopher of Germany in the first half of the eighteenth century, but his reputation never recovered from Immanuel Kant's criticism of the ""Leibniz-Wolffian"" philosophy. Yet his synthesis of the best in both rationalism and empiricism was deeply influential on Kant's approach to philosophy, and remained a force throughout German idealism. Corey W. Dyck's own unique combination of philosophical acumen and profound scholarship yields an unparalleled study of Wolff's metaphysics in its historical context that will be indispensable reading for every student of German philosophy and indeed of the history of modern philosophy generally."" * Paul Guyer, Jonathan Nelson Professor Emeritus of Humanities and Philosophy at Brown University, and Florence R.C. Murray Professor in the Humanities Emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania * Corey W. Dyck's Wolff and the First Fifty Years of German Metaphysics tells an important story about the history of German metaphysics before Kant. Dyck concentrates on Wolff's Deutsche Metaphysik, which was the crucial text in metaphysics before Kant. He carefully reconstructs Wolff's theories, tells us about their influence and the influences upon them. This is crucial for an understanding of the philosophy of the period and the context of Kant's later philosophy. Dyck's discussions are notable for their clarity and thoroughness. His book is to be recommended for all students of German philosophy in the classical period. * Frederick C. Beiser, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Syracuse University * Corey W. Dyck's major new book makes an extremely important contribution to our understanding of early modern philosophy by providing an original and detailed account of German metaphysics in the first half of the eighteenth-century. At the center of Dyck's careful analyses is Christian Wolff's influential Deutsche Metaphysik of 1719 and the dispute between Wolffianism and Pietism as the framework for the metaphysical discussions of the time. Dyck examines a vast amount of material, dealing with both major and lesser-known thinkers. Notwithstanding the massive scholarship, the book is clearly written and accessible to both specialists and non-specialists. Drawing attention to the importance of the first fifty years of German metaphysics to subsequent thought, the book is an impressive combination of historical scholarship and philosophical analysis. * Udo Thiel, University Professor i. R. at the University of Graz *"