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Breslau in 1679。 He first studied Theology and then Philosophy； and in 1707 he became Professor
of Mathematics and Philosophy at Halle。 Here the pietistic theologians； and more especially
Lange； treated him in the basest manner。 Piety did not trust this understanding； for piety； if it is
true； embodies a content which is speculative in nature； and which passes beyond the
understanding。 As his opponents could make no headway by their writings； they resorted to
intrigues。 They caused it to be conveyed to King Frederick William I。； the father of Frederick II。；
a rough man who took an interest in nothing but soldiers； that according to the determinism of
Wolff； free will was impossible； and that soldiers could not hence desert of their own free will； but
by a special disposition of God （pre…established harmony） a doctrine which； if disseminated
amongst the military； would be extremely dangerous。 The king； much enraged by this； immediately
issued a decree that within forty…eight hours Wolff should leave Halle and the Prussian States；
under penalty of the halter。 Wolff thus left Halle on the 23rd of November； 1723。 The theologians
added to all this the scandal of preaching against Wolff and his philosophy； and the pious Franke
thanked God on his knees in church for the removal of Wolff。 But the rejoicings did not last long。
Wolff went to Cassel； was there immediately installed first professor in the philosophic faculty at
Marburg； and at the same time made a member of the Academies of Science of London； Paris；
and Stockholm。 By Peter the First of Russia he was made Vice…President of the newly instituted
Academy in St。 Petersburg。 Wolff was also summoned to Russia； but this invitation he declined； he
received； however； an honorary post； he was made a Baron by the Elector of Bavaria； and； in
short； loaded with public honours which； more especially at that time； though even now it is the
case； were very much thought of by the general public； and which were too great not to make a
profound sensation in Berlin。 In Berlin a commission was appointed to pass judgment on the
Wolffian philosophy … for this it had not been possible to eradicate … and it declared the same to
be harmless； that is to say； free from all danger to state and religion； it also forbade the theologians
to make it a subject of dispute； and altogether put an end to their clamour。 Frederick William now
issued a recall in very respectful terms to Wolff； who； however； hesitated to comply with it owing
to his lack of confidence in its sincerity。 On the accession of Frederick II。 in 1740 he was again
recalled in terms of the highest honour （Lange had meanwhile died）； and only then did be comply。
Wolff became Vice…Chancellor of the University； but he outlived his repute； and his lectures at the
end were very poorly attended。 He died in 1754。（1）
Like Tschirnhausen and Thomasius； Wolff wrote a great part of his works in his mother tongue；
while Leibnitz for the most part wrote only in Latin or French。 This is an important matter； for； as
we have already noticed （pp。 114 and 150）； it is only when a nation possesses a science in its own
language that it can really be said to belong to it； and in Philosophy most of all this is requisite。 For
thought has in it this very moment of pertaining to self…consciousness or of being absolutely its
own； when one's own language is the vehicle of expression； as when we talk of 〃Bestimmtheit〃
instead of 〃Determination；〃 and 〃Wesen〃 instead of 〃Essenz；〃 it is immediately present to our
consciousness that the conceptions are absolutely its own； it has to deal with these at all times； and
they are in no way foreign to it。 The Latin language has a phraseology； a definite sphere and range
of conception； it is at once taken for granted that when men write in Latin they are at liberty to be
dull； it is impossible to read or write what men permit themselves to say in Latin。 The titles of
Wolff's philosophic works are perpetually of this nature： 〃Rational thoughts on the powers of the
human understanding and their right uses in the knowledge of the truth；〃 Halle； 1712； 8vo；
〃Rational thoughts on God； the world； and the soul of man； likewise on all things generally；〃
Frankfort and Leipzig； 1719； 〃On the action and conduct of men；〃 Halle； 1720； 〃On Social Life；〃
Halle； 1720； 〃On the operations of Nature；〃 Halle； 1723； and so on。 Wolff wrote German and
Latin quartos on every department of Philosophy； even on economics … twenty…three thick
volumes of Latin； or about forty quartos altogether。 His mathematical works make a good many
more quartos。 He brought into general use the differential and integral calculus of Leibnitz。
It is only in its general content and taken as a whole that Wolff's philosophy is the philosophy of
Leibnitz； that is to say； only in relation to the fundamental determinations of monads and to the
theodicy … to these he remained faithful； any other content is empiric； derived from our feelings and
desires。 Wolff likewise accepted in their entirety all the Cartesian and other definitions of general
ideas。 Hence we find in him abstract propositions and their proofs mingled with experiences； on
the indubitable truth of which he builds a large part of his propositions； and he must so build and
derive his foundations if a content is to result at all。 With Spinoza； on the contrary； no content is to
be found excepting absolute substance and a perpetual return into the same。 The greatness of
Wolff's services to the culture of Germany； which now； appeared quite independently and without
any connection with an earlier and profounder metaphysical standpoint （supra； p。 350）； are in
proportion to the barrenness and inward contentless condition into which Philosophy had sunk。
This he divided into its formal disciplines； spinning it out； into determinations of the understanding
with a pedantic application of geometric methods； and； contemporaneously with the English
philosophers； he made the dogmatism of the metaphysics of the understanding fashionable； that is
a； philosophizing which determines the absolute and rational by means of self…exclusive
thought…determinations and relationships （such as one and many； simple and compound； finite and
infinite； causal connection； &c。）。 Wolff entirely displaced the Aristotelian philosophy of the
schools； and made Philosophy into an ordinary science pertaining to the German nation。 But
besides this he gave Philosophy that systematic and requisite division into sections which has down
to the present day served as a sort of standard。
In theoretic philosophy Wolff first treats of Logic purified from scholastic interpretations or
deductions； it is the logic of the understanding which he has systematized。 The second stage is
Metaphysics； which contains four parts： first there is Ontology； the treatment of abstract and quite
general philosophic categories； such as Being and its being the One and Good； in this abstract
metaphysic there further comes accident； substance； cause and effect； the phenomenon； &c。 Next
in order is Cosmology； a general doctrine of body； the doctrine of the world； here we have
abstract metaphysical propositions respecting