Wolff, Christian, Freiherr (baron) von

(born Jan. 24, 1679, Breslau, Silesia—died April 9, 1754, Halle, Prussia) German philosopher, mathematician, and scientist. He was educated at the universities of Breslau, Jena, and Leipzig and was a pupil of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. He wrote numerous works in theology, psychology, botany, and physics but is best known as a leading spokesman of German rationalism. His series of essays, all beginning under the title Rational Ideas, covered many subjects and expounded Leibniz's theories in popular form.