Q0189
“the best of all possible worlds” — Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (Essais de Théodicée（1710）)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Essais de Théodicée（1710）. Theme: order.
English
the best of all possible worlds
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Essais de Théodicée（1710） and files it under Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) was a German polymath—philosopher, mathematician, jurist, and diplomat—who developed calculus independently of Newton and a metaphysical system of monads. Serving courts at Mainz and Hanover, he corresponded across Europe’s republic of letters.
Interpretation
Leibniz's phrase comes from the Theodicy and has been mocked more than read. His claim is not that this world contains no suffering but that among all worlds God could have created, this one has the greatest balance of metaphysical good — and that God's choice is guided by goodness, not arbitrary. The argument trades on the notion of compossibility: not everything good can exist together. Voltaire's Candide attacked the optimistic misuse of the idea rather than the argument itself.
Why it matters
The serious version raises a real question: if goods conflict and cannot all be realised, what does an optimal choice look like? Mockery does not dispose of it.
Concepts in this quote
- Order
- Order names cosmos, ritual, law, and the patterned stability that makes shared life possible—or oppressive.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. (n.d.). the best of all possible worlds In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0189
MLA: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. “the best of all possible worlds.” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0189.
Chicago: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. “the best of all possible worlds.” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0189.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “the best of all possible worlds”?
The passage is attributed to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Essais de Théodicée（1710）. The archive attributes this English wording to Essais de Théodicée（1710） and files it under Rationalism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz mean by order?
Philosophers ask whether order is discovered in nature, imposed by rulers, or cultivated through custom. Chaos and creativity stand as its counterparts. This passage enters that discussion through order.