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Leibniz claimed to demonstrate that one of Descartes's fundamental laws of motion was false. Considerable controversy ensued, as two comprehensive natural philosophies were at stake. The central point of Kant's Thoughts on the True Estimation of Living Forces is seen as a sustained attempt at resolving this vis viva debate. This chapter presents the preface and three chapters of this book. In the preface, Kant makes the case that his thoughts should be taken seriously. In chapter one, Kant considers the proper notion of force and distinguishes two different kinds of motions that are fundamental resolving the debate. In chapter two, he presents a critique of Leibniz's position and of the various arguments he and his followers had advanced in its favor. In the third chapter, Kant presents his own resolution of the conflict between the Cartesian and the Leibnizian measures of force.

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1 - Thoughts on the true estimation of living forces and assessment of the demonstrations that Leibniz and other scholars of mechanics have made use of in this controversial subject, together with some prefatory considerations pertaining to the force of bodies in general (1746–1749)

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1 - Thoughts on the true estimation of living forces and assessment of the demonstrations that Leibniz and other scholars of mechanics have made use of in this controversial subject, together with some prefatory considerations pertaining to the force of bodies in general (1746–1749)

Summary