Leibniz Discovers Asia: Social Networking in the Republic of Letters

Explores Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz's extensive efforts to understand the origins and relationships of global populations, particularly those in Asia and Europe, through linguistic and ethnographic inquiry. The source details Leibniz's methodology of gathering language samples, such as the Lord's Prayer in various tongues, and his correspondence with a vast network of scholars, missionaries (especially Jesuits), and diplomats across Europe and into Asia. It illuminates his fascination with Tartaric languages and peoples, his attempts to leverage diplomatic missions (like Peter the Great's Grand Embassy) for information, and the challenges he faced in acquiring reliable data, often encountering misinformation or a lack of understanding from his contacts regarding his specific research goals. Ultimately, the text highlights Leibniz's pioneering role in establishing a comparative-linguistic foundation for the nascent science of ethnology, seeking to classify human groups based on empirical language study rather than solely relying on ancient historical accounts.

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