Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
- Born:
- July 1, 1646, Leipzig, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire
- Died:
- November 14, 1716, Hanover, Electorate of Hanover, Holy Roman Empire
- Nationality:
- German
- Profession(s):
- Polymath: Philosopher, Mathematician, Scientist, Logician, Historian, Diplomat, Librarian
Early Life and Education
- Entered the University of Leipzig at age 15, receiving a Bachelor's degree in Law at age 17.
- Earned a doctorate in Law from the University of Altdorf in 1666.
- Self-taught in mathematics.
Career and Major Achievements
- Served as a diplomat and advisor to Johann Philipp von Schönborn, Elector of Mainz.
- Worked as a librarian and courtier for the House of Brunswick in Hanover.
- Independently developed differential and integral calculus (though a priority dispute with Newton existed).
- Invented the Leibniz wheel, a mechanical calculator.
- Proposed a universal symbolic language (characteristica universalis) and a calculus of reasoning (calculus ratiocinator).
- Founded the Berlin Academy of Sciences in 1700 and served as its first president.
Notable Works
- Dissertatio de Arte Combinatoria (1666)
- Hypothesis Physica Nova (1671)
- New Essays on Human Understanding (written 1703-1705, published 1765)
- Théodicée (1710)
- Monadologie (1714)
Legacy and Impact
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a highly influential figure whose contributions spanned mathematics, philosophy, logic, and science. His invention of calculus, along with his work on binary numbers, has had a profound and lasting impact on modern technology and thought. The detailed exploration of Gottfried Leibniz's contributions requires a complete "gottfried leibniz biography resumen ejecutivo" and beyond, but this summarizes the major elements.