Abstract
Leibniz argued that God would not create a world unless it was the best possible world. I defend Leibniz’s argument. I then consider whether God could refrain from creating if there were no best possible world. I argue that God, on pain of contradiction, could not refrain from creating in such a situation. I conclude that either this is the best possible world or God is not our creator.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Basinger D. (1983). In what sense must God be omnibenevolent. International Journal of Philosophy of Religion 14, 3–16
Blumenfeld D. (1974). Is the best possible world possible. The Philosophical Review 84, 163
Blumenfeld D. (1975). Is the best possible world possible. The Philosophical Review 84, 172
Copelston F. (1963). A history of philosophy (Volume 4): Descartes to Leibniz (p. 288). New York, Doubleday and Company
Everett N. (2000). Why only perfection is good enough. Philosophical Papers 29, 155–158
Grover S. (1988). Why only the best is good enough. Analysis 48, 224
Grover S. (2003). This world, ‘Adams Worlds’, and the best of all possible worlds. Religious Studies 39, 145–163
Grover S. (2004). Rival creator arguments and the best of all possible worlds. Sophia 43, 101–114
Howard-Snyders D.S. (1994). How an unsuprassable being can create a surpassable world. Faith and Philosophy 11, 262
Howard-Snyder, D. S. & Howard-Snyder, F. (1994). How an unsurpassable being can create a surpassable world. Faith and Philosophy, 11, 260–268; repr. in E. Stump & M. Murray (Eds.) (1999) Philosophy of religion: The big questions (pp. 35–41). Oxford: Blackwell.
Kant I. (1978). Lectures on philosophical theology, tr. A. Wood & G. Clark. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
Leibniz, G. (1951). In P. Weiner (Ed.), Leibniz selections. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Quinn P. (1973). Mustn’t God create for the best. Journal of Critical Analysis 5, 2–8
Quinn P. (1982). God, moral perfection, and possible worlds. In: Sontag F., Darrol Bryant M. (eds) God: The contemporary discussion. New York, The Rose of Sharon Press, pp. 197–213
Rescher N. (2003). On Leibniz (p. 32). Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press
Resnick L. (1973). God and the best possible world. American Philosophical Quarterly 10, 313–317
Rowe W. (1993). The problem of divine perfection and freedom. In: Stump E. (eds) Reasoned faith. Ithaca, NY, Cornell University Press, (pp. 223–233)
Rowe W. (1994). The problem of no best possible world. Faith and Philosophy 11, 270
Rowe W. (1996). The real problem of no best possible world. Faith and Philosophy 13, 423
Steinberg J. (2005). Why an unsurpassable being can’t create a surpassable world. Religious Studies 41, 323–333
Thomas M. (1996). Robert Adams and the best possible world. Faith and Philosophy 13, 252–259
Wielenberg E. (2004). A morally unsurpassable God must create the best. Religious Studies 40, 43–62
Wierenga E. (2002). The freedom of God. Faith and Philosophy 19, 432
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steinberg, J.R. Leibniz, creation and the best of all possible worlds. Int J Philos Relig 62, 123–133 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-007-9136-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-007-9136-7