The Leibniz Philosophical Papers Project

The Leibniz Philosophical Papers Project is a long-term effort to recover and publish the philosophical writings of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716), one of the central figures in the formation of the modern intellectual world.

Although Leibniz made foundational contributions to philosophy, mathematics, and the early development of computing, a large portion of his philosophical work survives only in unpublished or difficult-to-access manuscripts. Bringing these writings into reliable, accessible form requires sustained scholarly work: transcription, editing, annotation, and translation.

The first stage of the project has now been completed. Three substantial volumes of Leibniz’s Philosophical Papers (Oxford University Press, 2026), covering the years 1677–1686, establish a major new body of texts—most translated into English for the first time, and some published for the first time in any form.

The project now turns to the continuation of this work. Leibniz wrote philosophy for a further thirty years, and much of this later material remains unedited and largely inaccessible. The aim is to produce further volumes that will make these writings available to scholars, students, and readers worldwide.

This is a long-term scholarly undertaking, and its continuation depends on sustained support. Each contribution helps to bring more of Leibniz’s thought from manuscript into print, where it can be studied, taught, and engaged with by future generations.

What It Takes
Producing a volume of Leibniz’s Philosophical Papers is a substantial scholarly undertaking, requiring expert manuscript transcription, textual comparison, annotation, translation, and preparation for publication.

The cost of producing a single volume is approximately £75,000.

The long-term aim of the project is to sustain this work over a number of years, bringing a much larger portion of Leibniz’s philosophical writings into reliable, accessible form.

Sponsor a Text 

Supporters of the project have the opportunity to sponsor the preparation of individual texts.

As an indication of scale, a contribution of £250 supports the transcription, translation, and editorial preparation of approximately 1,000 words of manuscript material. 

Those who sponsor texts may, if they wish, be acknowledged in the published volumes.

This form of support offers a direct way to contribute to the recovery of Leibniz’s writings—helping to bring specific texts from manuscript into accessible scholarly form.