Abstract
In this essay I propose a philosophical exercise: a reconstruction or reconfiguration of Sophie Charlotte in Leibniz’s thought, and the implications and lessons of her legacy. The study is somewhat guided by the remark Leibniz made on Sophie Charlotte’s way of thinking, as someone who was always searching “the reason of the reason”. Following this path, I propose a visit to the feminist literature (in Virginia Woolf and Michelle Perrot) on the role of women in the history of thought and, from then on, I explore some challenges in Brazil for a reflection on philosophical canon. The upshot is a defense of difference, plurality and singularity as creative expressions of a philosophical potency, for the reason of the reasons, in both ways.
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Notes
- 1.
Could we say that the correspondence between Sophie Charlotte and Leibniz was preserved because it sets in motion a great man who was Leibniz?
- 2.
The most obvious example is Queen Elizabeth (1533–1603), from England.
- 3.
Language “most read by those to whom we want to be useful with this little work” (Leibniz apud Brunschwig, 1969, p. 13).
- 4.
The Disobedience to his employer Georg Ludwig leads us to conjecture this. Leibniz, recognized as a philosopher and mathematician since the publication of Theodicea in 1710, had traveled to Vienna in 1712 to cooperate in the founding of an Imperial Academy of Sciences and refused to return to Hannover, despite the pleas of Sofia and even the court payment of his salary.
- 5.
Maybe Sophie Charlotte felt this just before they established the strong friendship, she and Leibniz; in effect, complains with a friend about the treatment that Leibniz dispenses with her: “I like this man, but he only speaks superficially to me” (Aíton, 1992, pp. 345–356).
- 6.
It is worth noting, however, that Leibniz, recognized as a philosopher and mathematician since the publication of Theodicy in 1710, had traveled to Vienna in 1712 to cooperate in the founding of an Imperial Academy of Sciences and refused to return to Hannover, despite appeals of Sofia and even of the cut of payment of his salary. He returned only in 1714, when part of the court had already moved to England, including Georg Ludwig, his employer.
- 7.
Woolf refers to Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice.
- 8.
Woolf refers to Mary Carmichael, Life’s adventure.
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Acknowledgements
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal do Ensino Superior (CAPES).
Programa de Apoio a Eventos no País (PAEP) (proposal number: 647 218).
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Lacerda, T.M. (2022). Sophie Charlotte: The Modern Woman and the Reason of the Reason. In: Lopes, C., Ribeiro Peixoto, K., Pricladnitzky, P. (eds) Latin American Perspectives on Women Philosophers in Modern History. Women in the History of Philosophy and Sciences, vol 13. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-00288-5_12
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