German polymath who co-invented calculus independently of Newton, developed the theory of monads, proposed possible worlds semantics, and attempted a universal symbolic logic.
Monadology: the universe consists of monads — simple, windowless substances, each reflecting the entire universe from its own perspective. Pre-established harmony: God has coordinated the monads so they appear to interact. This is the best of all possible worlds: God chose the world with the greatest possible perfection — satirized by Voltaire as Dr. Pangloss. Calculus: independent of Newton (dispute over priority). Binary arithmetic: laying the conceptual groundwork for digital computing.
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