Space and Fates of International Law: Between Leibniz and Hobbes [Hardcover]

The first analysis of the influence the concept of space exercised on the emergence and continuing operation of international law.It offers the first analysis of the influence of the concept of space on the emergence and operation of international law. This book adds to the resources on early modern history of international law relevant for any scholar working in international law or international relations.It offers the first analysis of the influence of the concept of space on the emergence and operation of international law. This book adds to the resources on early modern history of international law relevant for any scholar working in international law or international relations.The book offers the first analysis of the influence exercised by the concept of space on the emergence and continuing operation of international law. By adopting a historical perspective and analysing work of two central early modern thinkers  Leibniz and Hobbes  it offers a significant addition to a limited range of resources on early modern history of international law. The book traces links between concepts of space, universality, human cognition, law, and international law in these two early modern thinkers in a comparative fashion. Through this analysis, the book demonstrates the dependency of the contemporary international law on the Hobbesian concept of space. Although some Leibnizian elements continue to operate, they are distorted. This continuing operation of Leibnizian elements is explained by the inability of international law, which is based on the Hobbesian concept of space, to ensure universality of its normative foundation.1. Introduction; 2. Science and Law in the Seventeenth Century; 3. Space; 4. The Idea of Universals and Human Cognition; 4. Law; 5. Intermezzo; 6. Space(s) of International Law; 7. Conclusions and Way Forward