Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz, the mathematician and German philosopher, was born on July 1, 1646 in Leipzig, Germany. He had a very keen interest in philosophy, theology, and Latin poetry. He also was much interested in mathematics including binary arithmetic, symbolic logic, and calculus. He was also known as an inventor, jurist, historian, diplomat, and political adviser. Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz dedicated his life into his into his studies; he was astonishingly motivated by the ability to learn and accomplished many things in the world of mathematics and philosophy. .
Leibniz's father, who was a professor of moral philosophy, died before Leibniz was six. His mother, who taught him his religious and moral values, raised him. At the age of seven he attended the Nicolai School in Leipzig. In school he was taught Aristotle's logic, which did not satisfy Leibniz and he developed his own ideas on how to improve it. By the age of twelve Leibniz had taught himself Latin and some Greek. He also read his father's books to expand his knowledge of metaphysics and theology. At age fourteen he entered the University of Leipzig to study mathematics and philosophy. Shortly after he earned his Master's Degree in philosophy, Leibniz's mother died. In 1666 after being refused a doctorate in law at Leipzig, he went to the University of Altdorf where he received a doctorate in law a year later. By this age he had already mastered ordinary textbooks in theology, mathematics, philosophy, and law. .
Leibniz did not accept a professorship at Altdorf because he had different things in mind. He served as secretary to the Nuremberg in 1667 and then he worked for Baron Johann Christian von Boineburg in Frankfurt doing legal reforms. From 1668 to 1673 he took up residence at the courts of Mainz where he continued his law career. In 1672 Leibniz was sent to Paris to try to convince Louis XIV to not attack German areas.