Voltaire: Pretty Modern for the 1600s

Within these readings, Voltaire offers a particularly modern perspective on the role of God. Though he does not necessarily negate the possibility of God's existence, he does offer a convincing criticism of those philosophies which attribute all aspects of life to His workings. For many of Voltaire's contemporaries, this philosophical optimism had driven theories regarding the role of God in the order of society. 

In Candide, Voltaire criticizes this idea that all events - whether beneficial or detrimental - may be attributed to God, whose morally good intentions rule the order of society. Voltaire satirizes this idea by placing his characters into inexplicable situations, each of which is dismisses as an event predestined by God in His construction of social order. 

Voltaire discusses the absurdity of these claims. As I read his criticisms, I began to raised a few questions myself: If every event were predetermined by a higher power, are humans then not agents of their own free will? Wouldn't this then contradict the Christian principle of free will? More so, what freedom does this leave for man? 

Libnitz's theorie seems to drag me down several philosophical rabbit holes, bringing me to pose more questions than are actually answered. In many ways, my thoughts are consistent with those of Voltaire. 

Throughout this account of Candide's experiences with natural disasters, and other unconventional misfortunes, he is driven to question this uneducated optimism. Candide observes absurdity within the world, which leads him to question the morality of God's decisions to bestow such things upon him. These realizations allow him to turn away from the blind optimism, and toward a more individualistic perspective on morality and the role of God.