![]() This philosophy answers the question of “Why is there evil” by claiming that God is benevolent and made everything for good. Whether good or bad, each event is precisely placed in the universe by the Creator. Optimism consists of a belief that everything happens for a reason. The philosopher Voltaire became familiar with Optimism as a result of Leibniz’s influence. Leibniz’s metaphysical ideas asserted the existence of one God and supported an Optimistic view of the physical world. Optimism is often associated with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, a German rationalist philosopher. It is also believed to improve the immune system in healthy individuals. Personal optimism has been linked to improved self-esteem and psychological well-being. It is a counter-valence to the tendency to fear catastrophe, and places emphasis on the practical aspects of life. *This episode was produced by Aaron James Wendland, Senior Research Fellow in Philosophy at Massey College, Toronto, and by Nahlah Ayed.Optimism is a philosophy that emphasizes the ability to overcome obstacles, even in the most difficult circumstances. Sean Greenberg is an associate professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Irvine.Įric Palmeris a professor of Philosophy at Allegheny College and editor of a Broadview Edition of Candide: and other Poetic and Philosophical Writings. So, Voltaire ends Candide with an injunction to stop all metaphysical speculation about God and simply "tend to our own garden." In fact, he wants us to focus exclusively on alleviating the concrete suffering of others. This means Voltaire sees little value in religious belief in a time of crisis. Yet the suffering character is always bewildered by this alleged consolation and wonders why Pangloss doesn't just lift the rock off their broken leg!" Pangloss sees this as a form of consolation. Returning to Candide, Palmer tells us: "Pangloss often attempts to explain to a suffering character how their suffering is bound up with the good. In the modern context, this would imply using earthquake-resistant materials when building a church or following public-health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19, suggests Eric Palmer, professor of philosophy at Allegheny College. Instead of praying to God and wishing for the best, Voltaire wants us to do what we can to eliminate the evil around us. And Voltaire wrote Candide to ridicule the idea that God is somehow a source of consolation and hope in the face of terrible suffering. Voltaire was a deist who believed God created the world but did not intervene in it. As Candide grows up and explores the world, he and his teacher are beaten, tortured, maimed, starved, burned, and drowned.īut through it all, Pangloss comically maintains that everything is for the best.Ī photo of an original 1759 copy of Candide by French writer Voltaire taken at the Taylor Institute in Oxford. Pangloss is a teacher of 'Metaphysico-theologico-cosmolooniology' and he is charged with educating the young Candide. So, he parodied Leibniz in Candide via the fictional character of Pangloss. Following his logic, your home may be destroyed in an earthquake or your business closed due to covid restrictions, but there are clearly better days ahead and trusting in God can help get you through your despair.ĭespite the consolation and hope Leibniz found in faith, Leibniz's optimistic account of evil was too much for Voltaire. Similarly, Leibniz believed that faith in God can be a source of hope when tragedy strikes. Losing a loved one during an earthquake or a pandemic is devastating, but, in his view, there may be comfort and relief in knowing that this loss is God's will and ultimately done for the best. Having faith in God's divine plan, for Leibniz, offers us consolation in a time of crisis. While we humans may not understand why there was an earthquake in Lisbon in 1755 or a deadly pandemic today, these events are an essential feature of the best possible world and believers ought to have faith that everything will work out in the end. But rather that this is ultimately the best possible world," Leibniz scholar Sean Greenberg told CBC IDEAS.įrom a practical standpoint, God's choice of the best world means the evil we experience is all part of God's divine plan. ![]() "When Leibniz says God chose to create the best possible world, he does not mean that every single thing is best. ![]() Yet the best possible world evidently has evil in it. And since God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-good, God necessarily chose to create the best possible world. (Wikipedia)Īccording to Leibniz, God had to choose between various possible worlds before creating the world that we live in today. Gottfried Leibniz's book, Theodicy, published in 1710, introduced an optimistic approach to the problem of evil.
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