Quotation
Last reviewed:
This world is the best of all possible worlds.
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz · Rationalism · Early modern · 1710
What does it mean?
God, being wise and good, picked the best overall world, even with suffering in it.
Did Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz really say this?
The library’s label is Summary. The best-of-all-possible-worlds thesis is his; this card restates the argument rather than quoting one sentence.
Where it comes from
Theodicy (1710), summary of the argument
Approximate date: 1710.
How to use it
Voltaire's Candide asks whether this explains anything after an earthquake. Hold both views.
A mindset reading
Ask what 'best' is being measured against.
Understand the philosophy
Leibniz means the best balance of goods and laws, not the absence of pain.
- meaning
- ethics
FAQ
What does it mean?
God, being wise and good, picked the best overall world, even with suffering in it.
Did Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz really say this?
Summary. The best-of-all-possible-worlds thesis is his; this card restates the argument rather than quoting one sentence.
Which work is it in?
Theodicy (1710), summary of the argument Approximate date: 1710.