Although Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz had no formal training as a mathematician, his contributions to the field of mathematics are still evident today. His results and work laid the foundation for more in-depth and rigorous treatments of calculus that would come later from various mathematicians. One of his most lasting legacies is the notations he used for calculations, which are still used throughout the world. Outside of mathematics, Gottfried Leibniz made contributions to the fields of philosophy, law, and politics. Gottfried Leibniz was born to Friedrich Leibniz and Catharina Schmuck on July 1, 1646 in Leipzig, Saxony (Germany) (Ross, 2000). His father, Friedrich, was a professor of moral philosophy at Leipzig University. Gottfried's mother was the daughter of a lawyer and the third wife of Friedrich Leibniz (Ross, 2000). Gottfried's family also included his half-brother Johann Friedrich, half-sister Anna Rosina and sister Anna Catherine (Ross, 2000). There is no indication that Gottfried's immediate relatives have any interest in mathematics. Gottfried's father had the greatest influence on his life, even though his father died when Gottfried was only six years old. After his father's death, Gottfried had access to his father's extensive library where he studied many higher-level works of philosophy, theology, and law, including works by Plato and Aristotle (EGS, 2010). About a year after his father's death, at the age of seven, Gottfried was enrolled at the Nicolai School in Leipzig (EGS, 2010). At the Nicolai School Gottfried studied Latin and other standard curricula for school children. In 1661 he entered the University of Leipzig at the age of fourteen where he studied mainly philosophy, mathematics, rhetoric...... middle of paper......16 at the age of 70 in Hanover (Ross, 2000 ). Tragically the scientific community did not see fit to commemorate his historic life and Gottfried's grave remained without a plaque for more than fifty years (Rational, 2010). After his death much of his work was published under the name Freiherr GW von Leibniz although no trace of nobility exists (Aiton, 1985). Some believe that his recognition in the field of mathematics was lacking during his lifetime because his ideas, works and concepts were far ahead of their time. His work on self-similarity and the principle of continuity is an example of this, Leibniz anticipated by more than two centuries what would later become topology (Rational, 2010). Ahead of their time or not, Gottfried Leibniz's contributions to the fields of mathematics, philosophy, and logic will live on and be taught around the world for a long time to come..