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
... sense of Scripture , and the defence of it was this . ' Scriptural doctrine is reconcilable with the findings of sheer reason , but it goes beyond them . We believe the Scriptures , because they are authenticated by marks of super ...
... sense of Scripture , and the defence of it was this . ' Scriptural doctrine is reconcilable with the findings of sheer reason , but it goes beyond them . We believe the Scriptures , because they are authenticated by marks of super ...
Page 13
... sense of history than his contemporaries , and he was instinctively eclectic . He believed he could learn something from each of his great pre- decessors . We see him reaching back to cull a notion from Plato or from Aristotle ; he even ...
... sense of history than his contemporaries , and he was instinctively eclectic . He believed he could learn something from each of his great pre- decessors . We see him reaching back to cull a notion from Plato or from Aristotle ; he even ...
Page 14
... sense biology . Biology , indeed , is the science of the living , and the medievals were no more inclined than we are to endow all physical bodies with life . What they did do was to take living bodies as typical , and to treat other ...
... sense biology . Biology , indeed , is the science of the living , and the medievals were no more inclined than we are to endow all physical bodies with life . What they did do was to take living bodies as typical , and to treat other ...
Page 16
... sense of brute fact had to be acknowledged even by the tidiest and most dogmatic atomism of the last century . That atomism must allow it to be accidental , in this sense , that the space surrounding any given atom was occupied by other ...
... sense of brute fact had to be acknowledged even by the tidiest and most dogmatic atomism of the last century . That atomism must allow it to be accidental , in this sense , that the space surrounding any given atom was occupied by other ...
Page 17
... sense the environment of any atom was an accidental environment . That is , the particular arrangement of the ... senses , and we shall attribute to it a substantial form such as naturally to give rise to these im- pressions , without ...
... sense the environment of any atom was an accidental environment . That is , the particular arrangement of the ... senses , and we shall attribute to it a substantial form such as naturally to give rise to these im- pressions , without ...
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