Single Idea 7837

[catalogued under 10. Modality / E. Possible worlds / 1. Possible Worlds / a. Possible worlds]

Full Idea

In his early writings the principle of sufficient reason made it difficult for Leibniz to conceive of possible things;...raising this to possible worlds means God does not choose things that are evil, but chooses a world which must have evil in it.

Gist of Idea

Leibniz proposed possible worlds, because they might be evil, where God would not create evil things

Source

report of Gottfried Leibniz (works [1690]) by Matthew Stewart - The Courtier and the Heretic Ch.14

Book Reference

Stewart,Matthew: 'The Courtier and the Heretic' [Yale 2007], p.238


A Reaction

Where we think of possible worlds as explanations for conditional and counterfactual truths (I take it), Leibniz developed the original idea as part of his huge effort to achieve a consistent theodicy.