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Voltaire\'s most famous work, Candide, satirizesthe arguments of Leibnitz [here spelled Leibniz] and Pope that\"all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds.\"On the bottom of p. 68, what basic element of Christianity doeshe say Leibnitz has fatally weakened by adopting his thesis? Hesummarizes Lactantius\' devastating statement of the classic\"problem of evil\" on p. 69, delighting in drawinghis arguments from an unimpeachably Catholic source. What is hisbasic point here? What is the point of his argument about a Lucullus(a famously wealthy Roman)who can easily believe that all is forthe best? He goes on to recount mockingly the attempts of variousfaiths to deal with the problem of evil, none of which works forChristians or Jews. What is the point of his fanciful tale ofa supposed Syrian creation story? He says that \"all isgood\" simply means \"everything is as it has to be.
\"How does the central paragraph on p. 72 seek to refute the argumentthat the orderliness of the universe is evidence of a divine,benevolent will? Note his sarcasm at the end. How does he argueagainst Pope\'s statement that particular evils form thecommon good? On p. 73, how does he react to those who find thistheory consoling? What kind of a God does he say the theory implies?What is his final statement as to the problem of evil? What areyour personal reactions to these arguments?
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