Prof Lloyd Strickland

Who am I?

I discovered philosophy firstly through psychology and then religious studies. I love the “big questions” that have occupied philosophers from various traditions, such as: Does God exist? What can we know, and how can we know it? What is the nature of the mind? How should we live? These are questions that everyone considers from time to time. I don't claim to know the answers to any of these questions; for me, the actual answers - if there are any - are less important than discussion about what possible answers there might be.

Academic and professional qualifications

B.A. (hons) Lancaster

M.A. Sheffield

Ph.D Lancaster

Previous employment

Before joining MMU, Lloyd taught Philosophy at the University of Wales, Lampeter, Lancaster University and the University of Central Lancashire. He has also worked as a Marketing Manager for an I.T. support company, and as a freelance I.T. consultant.

Other academic service (administration and management)

Leader of Intellectual History research cluster

Faculty co-ordinator for distance learning PhDs

Combined Honours programme leader

Why study Philosophy?

Undergraduate courses

Introduction to the History of Philosophy (1st year)
Philosophy of Religion (2nd year)

Postgraduate teaching

Key texts in modern European philosophy (MA)

Postgraduate supervision (completed/in progress)

Ernesto Diaz (PhD)

Shandon Guthrie (PhD)

Jeff Law (PhD)

Karen Sieben (PhD)

Paige Simpson (PhD)

Jack Read (PhD)

External examiner roles

Oxford University (Department for Continuing Education)

Research expertise

His principal research interests are Early Modern Philosophy (especially Leibniz), and Philosophy of Religion. He has recently completed two book projects, Leibniz's Legacy and Impact (Routledge, 2019) and Leibniz's Key Philosophical Writings: A Guide (Oxford University Press, 2020), and is currently finishing two others: Leibniz's Examination of the Christian Religion (for Oxford University Press) and Leibniz on Binary: The Invention of Computer Arithmetic (for MIT Press, co-authored with Harry R. Lewis, Gordon Mackay Professor of Computer Science at Harvard University). He also runs a website which contains many of his translations of Leibniz's writings: www.leibniz-translations.com . He would love to relax by lounging about, but doesn't seem to have the time for it these days.

Publications

• Books (authored/edited/special issues)

  L. Strickland (2023). Leibniz's Examination of the Christian Religion. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

  L. Strickland, H. Lewis (2022). Leibniz on Binary: The Invention of Computer Arithmetic. MIT Press.

  L. Strickland (2022). ‎100 Awesome Lateral Thinking Puzzles. Olympia.

  L. Strickland, P. Lodge (2020). Leibniz’s Key Philosophical Writings: A Guide. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

  L. Strickland, J. Weckend (2019). Leibniz’s Legacy and Impact. J. Weckend, L. Strickland. New York: Routledge.

  L. Strickland (2018). Proofs of God in Early Modern Europe An Anthology. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press.

  L. Strickland (2018). The Philosophical Writings of Prémontval. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield.

  L. Strickland, E. Vynckier, J. Weckend (2017). Tercentenary Essays on the Philosophy and Science of Leibniz. Palgrave.

  L. Strickland (2016). Leibniz on God and Religion. London: Bloomsbury.

  L. Strickland (2014). Leibniz's Monadology. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

  L. Strickland (2011). Leibniz and the Two Sophies. Toronto: CRRS, University of Toronto Press.

  L. Strickland (2006). The Shorter Leibniz Texts. London: Continuum.

  L. Strickland (2006). Leibniz Reinterpreted. Continuum.

• Journal articles

  L. Strickland (2024). Why did Thomas Harriot invent binary?. The Mathematical Intelligencer. 46(1), pp.57-62.

  L. Strickland (2020). Prémontval’s “General Misunderstanding on the Question of Optimism”. Philosophical Readings. 12(2), pp.321-330.

  L. Strickland (2019). Staying Optimistic: The Trials and Tribulations of Leibnizian Optimism. Journal of Modern Philosophy. 1(1), pp.1-21.

  L. Strickland (2018). The problem of religious evil : does belief in God cause evil?. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion. 84(2), pp.237-250.

  L. Strickland (2018). The “fourth hypothesis” on the early modern mind-body problem. Ergo. 5(25), pp.665-685.

  L. Strickland (2016). Leibniz’s Egypt Plan (1671–1672): from holy war to ecumenism. Intellectual History Review. 26(4), pp.461-476.

  L. Strickland (2016). Leibniz’s Harmony between the Kingdoms of Nature and Grace. Archiv fuer Geschichte der Philosophie. 98(3), pp.302-329.

  L. Strickland, M. Church (2015). Leibniz's Observations on Hydrology: An Unpublished Letter on the Great Lombardy Flood of 1705. Annals of Science. 72(4), pp.517-532.

  L. Strickland (2014). The “who designed the designer?” objection to design arguments. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion. 75(2), pp.87-100.

  L. Strickland (2013). Philosophy and the Search for Truth. Philosophia. 41(4), pp.1079-1094.

  L. Strickland (2011). Taking scripture seriously: Leibniz and the Jehoshaphat problem. The Heythrop Journal. 52, pp.40-51.

  L. Strickland (2010). False Optimism? Leibniz, Evil, and the Best of all Possible Worlds. Forum Philosophicum. 15(1), pp.17-35.

  L. Strickland (2010). The doctrine of 'the resurrection of the same body' in early modern thought. Religious Studies. 46(2), pp.163-183.

  L. Strickland (2010). False Optimism? Leibniz, Evil, and the Best of all Possible Worlds. Forum Philosophicum. 15(1), pp.17-35.

  L. Strickland (2009). Leibniz, The "Flower of Substance," and The Resurrection of The Same Body. The Philosophical Forum. 40(3), pp.391-410.

  L. Strickland (2009). The Philosophy of Sophie, Electress of Hanover. Hypatia. 24(2), pp.186-204.

  L. Strickland (2009). Leibniz on Eternal Punishment. British Journal for the History of Philosophy. 17(2), pp.307-331.

  L. Strickland (2006). God's problem of multiple choice. Religious Studies. 42(02), pp.141-157.

  L. Strickland (2005). How modern was Leibniz's biology?. Studia Leibnitiana. 37(2), pp.186-207.

• Chapters in books

  L. Strickland (2024). The Melioristic Turn in the Optimism Debate in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. In: Optimism and the Best Possible World: A Philosophical History. Routledge,

  L. Strickland (2021). Leibniz, Gottfried Wilhelm. S. Goetz, C. Taliaferro. In: The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion. Wiley Blackwell,

  P. Lodge, L. Strickland (2020). Introduction, including a sketch of Leibniz's life and philosophical works. In: Leibniz's Key Philosophical Writings: A Guide. pp.1-15.

  L. Strickland (2020). Discourse on Metaphysics. P. Lodge, L. Strickland. In: Leibniz's Key Philosophical Writings: A Guide. Oxford: Oxford University Press (OUP),

  L. Strickland (2017). Leibniz, Purgatory, and Universal Salvation. KKP. Vanhoutte, BW. McCraw. In: Purgatory: Philosophical Dimensions. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.111-128.

  L. Strickland (2017). How Leibniz would have responded to the Lisbon earthquake. L. Strickland, E. Vynckier, J. Weckend. In: Tercentenary Essays on the Philosophy and Science of Leibniz. Cham: Palgrave, pp.257-278.

  L. Strickland, J. Weckend (2017). Leibniz's Philosophy and Science. In: Tercentenary Essays on the Philosophy and Science of Leibniz. Palgrave, pp.1-16.

  L. Strickland (2015). The use of scripture in the beast machine controversy. D. Beck. In: Knowing Nature in Early Modern Europe. London: Pickering & Chatto, pp.65-82.

• Conferences

• Other

  L. Strickland (2021). Review of "God, Evolution, and Animal Suffering" by Bethany Sollereder. Religious Studies. 57, 776-779.

  L. Strickland (2021). Review of "The New Atheism, Myth, and History: The Black Legends of Contemporary Anti-Religion" by Nathan Johnstone. Numen. 68, 303-305.

  L. Strickland (2018). Review of "Leibniz: Protestant Theologian" by Irena Backus. Renaissance Quarterly. 71, 1545-1546.

  L. Strickland (2018). Review of "Rebirth and the Stream of Life" by Mikel Burley. Numen. 65, 617-619.

  L. Strickland (2018). Review of "After we die: theology, philosophy, and the question of life after death" by Stephen T. Davis. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion. 83, 321-323.

  L. Strickland (2017). Review of "Leibniz's Mill: A Challenge to Materialism" by Charles Landesman. Heythrop Journal. 58, 545-546.

  L. Strickland (2011). Review of "John Locke and Personal Identity: Immortality and Bodily Resurrection in 17th-Century Philosophy". British Journal for the History of Philosophy. 19, 826-830.

Invited papers

1. “Leibniz On The Problem Of Evil.” Lancaster University, February 2004.
2. “Was Leibniz an Evolutionist?” University of Central Lancashire, 9 March 2005.
3. “How modern was Leibniz’s biology?” University of Leeds, 14 February 2006.
4. “The big squeeze in the valley of Jehoshaphat: the history of a pressing problem.” Colloquium in the History of Philosophy, University of Edinburgh, 30 June 2007.
5. “Leibniz and the valley of Jehoshaphat.” University of Wales, Lampeter, 25 March 2009.
6. “Leibniz’s presentation of his theodicy in his correspondence with Sophie and Sophie Charlotte.” Lectures et interprétations des Essais de Théodicée de G. W. Leibniz, the Sorbonne, Paris (France), 25 June 2010.
7. “Vindicatio Dei.” Leibniz’s Theodicy: Context and Content, University of Notre Dame, 17 September 2010.
8. “Theodicy and contentment in Leibniz's correspondence with Sophie and Sophie Charlotte.” Leibniz’s Theodicy, University of Oxford, 4 December 2010.
9. “Philosophy and the search for truth.” Writing Philosophy’s History, Irish Philosophical Association, University of Limerick, 16 April 2011.
10. “Leibniz’s universal rational religion.” IX Internationaler Leibniz-Kongress, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 26 September – 1 October 2011.
11. “The use of scripture in the beast-machine controversy.” Scientiae 2013: Disciplines of Knowing in the Early Modern World, University of Warwick, 18-20 April 2013.
12. “The ‘who designed the designer?’ objection to design arguments.” Australasian Philosophy of Religion Association (APRA) conference, University of Sydney, Australia, 21-23 June 2013.
13. “Monads: What? Why? And Why Not?” and “Leibniz and theodicy.” University of Oxford, 23-24 November 2013.
14. “The ‘who designed the designer?’ objection to design arguments.” University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on 7 December 2013.
15. “The reception of the Theodicy in England.” Caroline bringt Leibniz nach London, North Saxony National Museum, Hanover, 24-25 July 2014.
16. “Wisdom and the examined life.” Brookdale Community College, 11 September 2014.
17. “Leibniz’s Harmony Between The Kingdoms Of Nature And Grace.” The Last Leibniz, University of South Florida, Tampa, 31 October – 2 November 2014.
18. “How Leibniz would have responded to the Lisbon earthquake.” University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, 25 February 2015.
19. “Leibniz and the best of all possible worlds.” Manchester Philosophy Group, 3 March 2015.
20. “How Leibniz would have responded to the Lisbon earthquake.” Oxford Seminar in Early Modern Philosophy, Mansfield College, University of Oxford, 15-16 March 2015.
21. “The many uses of binary arithmetic.” James Clerk Maxwell Foundation, Edinburgh, 4 June 2015.
22. “How Leibniz would have responded to the Lisbon earthquake.” Scientiae Workshop, University of California, Irvine, 11 September 2015.
23. "The Egypt plan." The Sun King and Holy War, Humanities in Public series, Manchester Metropolitan University, 28 October 2015.
24. "The many uses of binary arithmetic." 14-10 Club, The Royal Institution, London, 5 November 2015.
25. "Leibniz’s Egypt plan: from holy war to ecumenism.” University of Winchester, 9 March 2016.
26. “Leibniz’s Egypt plan: from holy war to ecumenism.” University of Lancaster, 11 May 2016.
27. "How sincere was Leibniz’s religious justification for war in the Justa Dissertatio?" X. Internationaler Leibniz-Kongress, Hanover, 21 July 2016.
28. "Leibniz's Consilium Aegyptiacum." Manchester Metropolitan University, 19 January 2017.
29. "The fourth solution to the mind-body problem." University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, 14 March 2017.
30. "Why is there something rather than nothing?" Philosophy in Pubs, Ramsbottom branch, 4 September 2017.
31. "Proving God in early modern Europe." Manchester Metropolitan University, 25 October 2017.
32. "Immortality." Manchester Philosophy Group, 1 May 2018.
33. "The “Fourth Hypothesis” on the Early Modern Mind-Body Problem." St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, 15 May 2018.
34. "The “Fourth Hypothesis” on the Early Modern Mind-Body Problem." Scientiae, University of Minnesota, 17 May 2018.
35. "Heavenly creatures?" Fantastic Beasts: The Beast Within, The Beast Without, The Beast Beyond, University of Birmingham, 2 July 2018
36. "Staying Optimistic: The Trials and Tribulations of Leibnizian Optimism." Stapledon Lecture, University of Liverpool, 11 October 2018.
37. "Heavenly creatures?" British School at Rome, 26 October 2018.
38. "Attempts to Prove God’s Existence in Early Modern Europe." University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 28 November 2018.
39. "An agnostic’s favourite proof of the existence of God" and "Should there be a presumption of atheism, theism, or agnosticism?" University of Oxford, 19-20 October 2019.
40. "Prémontval on natural and rational theology," University of Bucharest, 14 November 2019.
41. "Going beyond animal theodicy," University of Navarra, 13 December 2019.
42. "Do we need a plant theodicy?" University of Haifa, 23 June 2020.

Conference organisation

Multicultural Philosophy. A 2-day conference held at Manchester Hall, 15-16 July 2019.

The Last Things. A 2-day conference held at the British School at Rome, 25-26 October 2018.

Leibniz - Legacy and Impact. A 1-day conference held at Manchester Metropolitan University, 5 November 2016.

Leibniz - Scientist, Leibniz - Philosopher. A 3-day conference held at the Lampeter campus of the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, on 3 - 5 July 2015.

Expert reviewer for journals and publishers

I have served as a reviewer for various journals, including Journal of the History of Philosophy, British Journal for the History of Philosophy, Analysis, Archiv für Geschichte der Philosophie, History of Philosophy Journal, Journal of Modern Philosophy, Philosophical Quarterly, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, Eighteenth Century Studies, Religions, Sophia, History of Philosophy & Logical Analysis, European Journal of Political Theory, Philosophical Psychology, Journal of the American Philosophical Association, Studies in Christian Ethics, Res Philosophica, Estetika etc. I have also served as a reviewer for presses such as Edinburgh University Press, Routledge, Brill, Palgrave, and Bloomsbury, as well as for promotion committees.

Grants

Gerda Henkel research scholarship (2022)

British Academy mid-career fellowship (2018).

British Academy small grant (2016/17).

Various conference grants (2014/15-16/17) from the Mind Association, the Aristotelian Society, British Society for the History of Philosophy, Analysis Trust, British Society for the History of Science, and the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence.

Media appearances or involvement

Radio interview about the existence of God, Voice of Islam Radio, 26 March 2021.

"The best possible world: Leibnizian optimism in the secular West," IAI News, 26 February 2021.

"Why African philosophy matters and why we teach it," MMU comment piece, 12 October 2020.

Radio interview about Shona philosophy, Capitalk (Zimbabwe), 7 October 2020.

"Why I am teaching Shona philosophy in the UK" in Bulawayo 24 News, 30 September 2020.

"How western philosophy became racist" in IAI News, 8 January 2019.

"Four centuries of trying to prove God’s existence" in The Conversation, 17 August 2018. Republished in The Beachwood Reporter, 20 August 2018.

Radio interview about the history of attempts to prove the existence of God, BBC Radio 4, 12 August 2018

"Talk to atheists on their own terms" in Church Times, 20 July 2018, p13.

"Stephen King’s latest novel wrestles with the question of how to be in two places at one time" in The Conversation, 5 June 2018. Republished in Metro, 11 June 2018

"Western philosophy departments must open their minds," Times Higher Education (both print and online), 1 March 2018. Republished as an opinion piece on the MMU site.

"BBC’s boost to religious programming is a good idea – no matter what humanists say" in The Conversation, 10 January 2018. Republished in The Independent, 15 January 2018.

Radio interview about teaching religion and values to children and older audiences, BBC Radio Northampton, 7 January 2018.

Radio interview about BBC's new policy on religious programming, BBC Radio Stoke, 24 December 2017.

"Who will fund the NHS?", MMU comment piece, 6 June 2017.

"Dear Hillary… a philosopher’s guide to coping with disappointment" in The Conversation, 27 December 2016. This article was republished (in Romanian translation) in Digi 24, 4 January 2017.

"This could be the best of all possible worlds" in Church Times, 18 November 2016, p18.

"Answering the biggest question of all: why is there something rather than nothing" in The Conversation, 11 November 2016.

"Star Trek’s version of time travel is more realistic than most sci fi" in The Conversation, 29 July 2016. This article was republished (in German translation) in Netzpiloten Magazin, 9 August 2016.

"Why ignorance is bliss, or, how to have a tranquil 2016” in Met Magazine, Spring/Summer 2016, p.48.

"What makes a good bad guy? Ask a philosopher" in The Guardian, 21 January 2016. This article was republished (in Portugese translation) in Universo racionalista, 4 March 2018.

“Which philosopher would fare best in a present-day university?” in The Guardian, 30 October 2015.

“Slow burn impact” in Times Higher Education (both print and online), 2 April 2015.

“How would you fit everyone who has ever lived in one valley?” in The Conversation, 18 December 2014.

Expert reviewer for external funding bodies

Member of the AHRC peer review college.

Have also reviewed for the British Academy, Newton Fund, and DAAD.

Membership of professional associations

British Society for the History of Philosophy.