PHILOSOPHY
One might wonder why his calculus is worth saving over the myriad of works by Newton or Einstein, but I would argue that the study of rates of change was such an incredible advancement from any ancient Greek or Persian mathematics. Ancient mathematics provided an axiomatic language from which other branches could develop. Therefore, it would seem intuitive to preserve the works of Pythagoras or other such thinkers; however, I believe that the basic axioms of all mathematics would easily be rediscovered and created simply because of how heavily they rely on logic. The simple idea that 1+1=2 can be seen in everyday life and therefore it would seem a waste to provide a new society with such information as well as any equations based on quantities which can be directly measured. Consequently, calculus is infinitely preferable to preserve and share so that a civilisation would be able to accelerate discoveries in subjects including mechanics and astronomy as well as the abundance of uses in further afield disciplines such as medical science and economics. Moreover, it ought to be considered whether it would be more beneficial to preserve a scientific discipline over an artistic one. I would argue that Leibniz is a perfect combination of the two; Leibniz was also a prominent philosopher in his own right,
producing works such as the Theodicy. It could be argued that Leibniz as a mathematician is merely an extension of him as a philosopher, subsequently generalising him into simply a great intellectual thinker. Put plainly, this is my perception of what philosophy is: the art of thinking. The beauty of mathematics and philosophy is that they may seem worlds apart but in their essence are the bridge between the scientific and artistic worlds, forming the basis of both scientific and artistic understanding. Furthermore, I suggest that anything beneficial from pure artforms (such as poetry, literature or music) can be inherently understood and explored through conscience and human emotion. Emotional intelligence is not a quality that can be gained through academic education but more through experience and exploration, thereupon suggesting science would accelerate development at a significantly higher rate. In conclusion, I believe that if the works of one individual are to be preserved for a new society, then it ought to be someone multidisciplinary and with a unique perspective which provides advancement in ways not available by applying base level human thinking. It would therefore be more conducive to the rapid development of an emerging society to have preserved the works of Leibniz due to infinitesimal calculus’ plethora of uses in technology and analysis.
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