Leibniz, Zsófia hannoveri választófejedelemné és az érdek nélküli szeretet
Leibniz, Electress Sophia of Hanover and Disinterested Love

Summary/Abstract: The topic of disinterested love became fashionable in 1697 due to the famous amour-pur-dispute between Fénelon and Bossuet. It soon attracted the attention of Electress Sophia of Hanover and she asked an opinion about the dispute from Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. In this paper I will point out that Sophia was the catalyst for Leibniz’s effort to contextualize his views on the pure love controversy between Fénelon and Bossuet. I will discuss Leibniz’s 1697 letter to Sophia and compare his views on disinterested love to his earlier and later views on the matter. I will show that the controversy did not change his basic views on the matter although he explained the theme in a more theological style to Sophia. I will also discuss the consistency of Leibniz’s doctrine in the light of some recent articles and reflect briefly upon Sophia’s motives for asking Leibniz’s opinion on the controversy.

• Details
• Contents