Philosophers sometimes come across as a dour bunch. But the German rationalist theologian, mathematician, and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646–1716) may be best known for his uplifting declaration “This is the best of all possible worlds.”

The reasoning behind Leibniz’s optimistic argument was simple. An all-powerful God, he wrote, had many choices when creating the world. And, being all-powerful, he would have chosen nothing but the best. The world God created isn’t perfect, Leibniz admitted, but it must—by definition—have been the best option on God’s menu.

Leibniz, one of the most prolific writers of the period known as the Enlightenment, was born in the German city of Leipzig and taught himself Latin and Greek as a child. After rejecting a professorship at a German university in 1667, he embarked on a career as a court historian, diplomat, and scientific advisor for the powerful dukes of Hanover. A man of wide-ranging learning—his colleagues called him a “universal genius”—he also invented modern calculus independently of the British physicist Isaac Newton (1643–1727).

As a diplomat, Leibniz had the opportunity to travel widely in Europe, visiting Paris, London, Italy, and the Netherlands. His main goal was to thwart the aggressive expansion of French power under King Louis XIV (1638–1715), who was perceived as a threat by many of the smaller German states, including Hanover.

In his philosophy, which he began publishing in the 1680s, Leibniz was influenced by Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) and had a famous three-day meeting with the Dutch philosopher in The Hague shortly before Spinoza’s death from lung disease. Although the two differed over religion—Leibniz was a Christian, while Spinoza rejected traditional Judeo-Christian notions of God—Spinoza helped inspire Leibniz’s works Theodicy (1710) and Monadology (1714).

Leibniz never married, and he became unpopular in Hanover near the end of his life. Today, however, he is considered a major figure in the history of mathematics and a significant influence on such German philosophers as Immanuel Kant (1724–1804).

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. Leibniz’s optimistic philosophy was widely derided for centuries after his death, including in the famous satire Candide (1759), by the French author Voltaire (1694–1778). In the book, the character Dr. Pangloss, who was modeled after Leibniz, believes that everything is for the best, even tragic events like earthquakes. In turn, the word Panglossian is sometimes used to criticize naively optimistic worldviews.
  2. In the final years of his life, Leibniz engaged in an acrimonious debate with Newton over who had invented calculus first. Modern historians believe that Newton was probably first, although Leibniz was the first to publish his system. The symbols commonly used in modern calculus—including the integral symbol—were first devised by Leibniz.
  3. Leibniz’s employer, the Duke of Hanover, became King George I of England (1660–1727) in 1714. Although he wanted to move to London with the king, Leibniz was denied permission until he completed his history of the House of Brunswick.

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