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Article: Wolff, Christian (1679–1754)
- Article from:
- Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World
- Author:
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WOLFF, CHRISTIAN (1679
–
1754)
WOLFF, CHRISTIAN
(1679
–
1754), German philosopher. Born on 24 January 1679 in predominantly Catholic Breslau, Silesia (now Wroc
ł
aw, Poland), the son of a Lutheran tanner who wanted him to become a minister, Wolff soon developed an interest in philosophy. After receiving a solid grounding in Scholasticism and Cartesianism under Jesuit supervision at the local
Gymnasium
(college preparatory school), Wolff began to study theology, mathematics, and philosophy at the University of Jena. He eventually earned his master's degree from the University of Leipzig in 1703, where his interest had shifted increasingly toward mathematics and philosophy, ...