Liebnitzian Philosophy and Candide - 837 Words

Everything happens for the best, in this the best of all possible worlds. This is a statement that can be found many times within Voltaires Candide. Voltaire rejected Lebitizian Optimism, using Candide as a means for satirizing what was wrong with the world, and showing that, in reality, this is not the best of all possible worlds. The philosophy of Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, which Voltaire called optimism, is one of the main themes of Candide. The two main points of Leibnizian philosophy are that God is beneficent, and that in creating the world, He created the best possible one. Leibniz did not argue that the world was perfect or that evil was non-existent, but thanks to Gods goodness and His constant concern with his creation,†¦show more content†¦Eldorado is another contrast to this best of all possible worlds. It is described as an extremely peaceful and serene country. It is a place that has no need for laws, jails, war, or material goods, which makes it impossible to find. Voltaire uses Eldorado as an epitome of the best of all possible worlds, because it contrasts the real outside world in which war and suffering are everyday occurrences. Throughout Candides life, he believes strongly in optimism, not because he is forced to, but because he was raised in that manner. It is possible, however, that deep down inside, Candide doubts the philosophies of his teacher because of his exposure to immorality in the real world. For example, Candide witnesses the public hanging of two Portuguese Jews simply because they refused to eat bacon for dinner. It is occurrences like these which demonstrate the inhumanity that one person can do to another, which leads Candide to disbelieve Pangloss philosophies. Voltaire rejected Lebitizian Optimism, using Candide as a means for satirizing everything that was wrong with the world, and showing that, in reality, this is not the best of all possible