On the First Ground of the Distinction of Regions in Space

Abstract

The celebrated Leibniz enriched the sciences by many actual contributions; but he also entertained numerous greater projects, the execution of which the world has in vain awaited from him. I shall not here pronounce an opinion why this was so; whether his essays seemed to him still too incomplete — a scrupulousness peculiar to men of real worth, and one which has ever and again deprived learning of precious fragments — or whether it was with him as with the great chemists, of whom Boerhaave conjectures that they frequently announced performances as if they had them in their power, while actually they were only giving credence to their skill, believing that the execution could not miscarry if they once resolved to undertake it. At least it seems probable that a certain body of mathematical teaching, which Leibniz in anticipation entitled Analysis Situs,² never existed save in intention. Many writers, including Buffon (in dealing with the involution of Nature in germs), have lamented the loss which we thereby suffer.

[This treatise was published in 1768. For a statement and discussion of Kant’s changing views with regard to the argument here developed see Vaihinger, Commentar zu Kant’s Kritik der reinen Vernunft, Bd. II, pp. 518 ff.; Kemp Smith, Commentary to Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason, pp. 161 ff.; this volume, pp.43–48.]