Examples Of Philosophies In Candide

Voltaire on Philosophies

Voltaire was a man of action and believed in rational skepticism. He was “not afraid to debunk the foolish fads and fancy of humankind”(Famous). During the Enlightenment, a period of throwing out old ideals and remaking society, he asked not why but how. In Candide, Voltaire illustrates his attitude towards philosophies prevalent during the enlightenment era, through the characters they are represented by.

Optimism is represented by Voltaire’s Pangloss, seen mostly as an idiot for his beliefs. He believed that all if always for the best, ignoring any bad that has happened. He idiotically continues to believe this idea even though he himself has suffered through slavery, syphilis, and once death. Voltaire’s feelings

He believed that all if always for the best, ignoring any bad that has happened. He idiotically continues to believe this idea even though he himself has suffered through slavery, syphilis, and once death. Voltaire’s feelings toward the philosophy of optimism is obviously dislike shown through the treatment of Pangloss, both by nature and through the thoughts of other characters or philosophies “Optimism," said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst”(Voltaire 86). Voltaire shows equal discontent with Pessimism the philosophy shown through Martin, a man who expects and sees only the worst in the world. Though he argues with Candide about his blind optimism through the story he’s quite the hypocrite because he blindly follow his own pessimism. Seeing only envy, murder and hate in everything ignoring any and all possible good there is and could be in the world. Through the representation of both Pangloss and Martin, Voltaire shows the “truth that blithe optimism cannot hide the very real presence of oppression and misery in the world” just the same that pessimism cannot hide all the good to be seen in the world either