TheodicyIn this 1710 treatise, Gottfried Liebniz's only book-length work, he applies the idea of philosophical "optimism"-that we live in the best of all possible worlds-to the "problem of evil"-If a benevolent God exists, why do terrible things happen? He explores the possibility that humanity's happiness is not necessarily part of God's plan. Much of Leibniz's thinking in the realm of the sciences flowed from his philosophy-he believed the universe to operate under simple, intelligible, interconnected rules. Understanding how he approached the metaphysical world and humanity's place in it is vital to understanding his contributions to modern science. The impact of the work of German mathematician GOTTFRIED WILHELM LEIBNIZ (1646-1716) on modern science and technology is all but incalculable. His notation for infinitesimal calculus-which he developed independently of Newton-remains in use today, and his invention of binary counting is the basis for modern computing. He was a powerfully influential philosopher as well, and is still considered, alongside Descartes and Spinoza, one of the great 17th-century rationalists. |
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Page 9
... mind . Their theological liberalism was political prudence ; it was not neces- sarily for that reason the less personally sincere . They had too much wisdom to meet bigotry with bigotry , or set Protestant in- tolerance against Catholic ...
... mind . Their theological liberalism was political prudence ; it was not neces- sarily for that reason the less personally sincere . They had too much wisdom to meet bigotry with bigotry , or set Protestant in- tolerance against Catholic ...
Page 11
... mind . It gave him pleasure to appreciate good wherever he could see it , and to discover a soul of truth in every opinion . From the moment when Leibniz became aware of himself as an independent thinker , he was the man of a doctrine ...
... mind . It gave him pleasure to appreciate good wherever he could see it , and to discover a soul of truth in every opinion . From the moment when Leibniz became aware of himself as an independent thinker , he was the man of a doctrine ...
Page 12
... mind . If the origins of the principle were complex , little wonder that its applications were manifold . Every expositor of Leibniz who does not wish to be endlessly tedious must con- centrate attention on one aspect of Leibniz's ...
... mind . If the origins of the principle were complex , little wonder that its applications were manifold . Every expositor of Leibniz who does not wish to be endlessly tedious must con- centrate attention on one aspect of Leibniz's ...
Page 18
... mind to be adjusted to it ? For my consciousness appears to identify itself with that whole vital pattern which used ... minds of the seven- teenth - century philosophers . It will cause us no great surprise that Leibniz should have ...
... mind to be adjusted to it ? For my consciousness appears to identify itself with that whole vital pattern which used ... minds of the seven- teenth - century philosophers . It will cause us no great surprise that Leibniz should have ...
Page 19
... mind and its bodily vehicle . He had exorcized the spirits from the rest of nature ; and though there was a spirit here which could not be exorcized , the philo- sophic conjurer had nevertheless confined it and its unaccountable pranks ...
... mind and its bodily vehicle . He had exorcized the spirits from the rest of nature ; and though there was a spirit here which could not be exorcized , the philo- sophic conjurer had nevertheless confined it and its unaccountable pranks ...
Contents
7 | |
49 | |
73 | |
ESSAYS ON THE JUSTICE OF GOD AND THE FREEDOM | 123 |
SUMMARY OF THE CONTROVERSY REDUCED TO FORMAL | 377 |
EXCURSUS ON THEODICY 392 | 392 |
OBSERVATIONS ON THE BOOK CONCERNING THE ORIGIN | 405 |
CAUSA DEI ASSERTA | 443 |
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absolute according action admit already animals answer appears argument Aristotle Augsburg Confession Augustine Bayle believe body Carneades cause choice choose Chrysippus Cicero connexion consequence contingent contrary create creatures decrees Descartes determined difficulties divine doctrine dogma Epicurus equipoise eternal existence faith freedom give God's grace happen happy harmony Hobbes human ideas imperfection impossible inclination indifference infinite judgement justice kind knowledge laws Leibniz less Malebranche Manichaeans matter maxim means metaphysical metaphysical necessity mind Molinists monads moral evil motion Mysteries nature necessary necessity never nevertheless objection observed oneself opinion passage Paulicians perfect philosophers physical evil pleasure possible pre-established Pre-established Harmony principle produce prove punishment question reason reflexions Reply representation Rorarius Schoolmen sense Socinians sophism soul speak Spinoza substance sufficient Supralapsarians Theodicy theologians theology therein thereof things Thomists thought tion true truth understanding universe virtue wisdom wish Zoroaster