Philosophy: The Problem of Evil

The problem of evil is a question that many philosophers have attempted to explain in their perspective. This particular problem made many theorists question the existence of evil in the world when God is claimed to be omnibenevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent. Because this challenging inquiry was illuminated, it challenged the existence of God and His power to be good. In this paper, I will support Voltaire’s argument in Candide against Leibniz’s theory of optimism in the Essays on the Goodness of God, the Freedom of Man and the Origin of Evil.

François-Marie Arouet, as known as Voltaire, was a man who flourished in the French Enlightenment—a time where society strives to become better through reason and knowledge—in the 18th century. During this time period, France was still under the heavily Catholic, influencing the political structure of the country. However, that did not stop Voltaire from stating his perspective on Christianity. “[Christianity] is assuredly the most ridiculous, the most absurd and the most bloody religion which has ever infected this world” (Mathews). Unlike many philosophers before him, Voltaire did not live under the major threat that the Church would break down his door and exterminate him for heresy; however, he could have damaged his reputation. Many philosophers still did not appreciate the presence of the Church everywhere in France; therefore, some have criticized the church and literary pieces that support the theological thinking. For instance, Voltaire wrote a satire, Candide, against Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz’s Essays on the Goodness of God, the Freedom of Man and the Origin of Evil. Voltaire mocked the statement, “metaphysical considerations concern the nature of the possible and of the ...

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...upplies during his time, it would be very possible that he would use it and compose a different perspective on the problem of evil. Voltaire, on the other hand, would have gained more concrete evidence to prove his point: this suffering is not from God himself, but natural causes proven by science. So, if God was not the cause of these events, then it is not God trying to prove a point and make the world, thus crippling Leibniz’s idea.

Voltaire’s argument in Candide made many strong points against Leibniz’s theory of optimism in the Essays on the Goodness of God, the Freedom of Man and the Origin of Evil. This question on why evil exists in the world should not have been answered because God decided that it was best for the world; there is suffering everywhere and if it was judged as a whole rather than an event, then there would be little to no good in the world.