Theory of Good by Wilhelm Leibniz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Theory of Good by Wilhelm Leibniz - Essay Example Leibniz in his lifetime proposed theories relating to God and made a derivation from every theory he proposed. He is also known to be the father of calculus and the basic founder of the technology known as computer. Leibniz in his lifetime proposed a theory known as 'the theory of good'. This theory gives the basic facts about goodness while relating it to the God. Leibniz put in his own perceptions and came out with the theory of good which is now famously applied by many people. This theory has come into many criticisms; however some people are still in the favor of this theory. This article would further discuss the theory of good according to the facts given in by Leibniz and would give in a conclusion after assessing the theory. One of the very important theories Leibniz put in was the theory of good which was the basis for the ethics of Leibniz. This theory revolved around the basis of goodness and how it was affected. This theory was again laid upon three basic principles which were according to Leibniz's words hedonism, Platonism and perfectionism. Platonism basically signifies that goodness is correlated to reality, hedonism relates good to satisfaction and gratification whereas perfectionism implies to fastidiousness that is one should try to achieve precision in one's character. But with all these three principles there is a co existing form of malevolence. With the abstract good there is the wrong associated when there is defiance of reality. With the ethical good there is malevolence of bad and evil. And in the hedonism which is then related to the evil of pain. In constructing his theory of good and relating abstract good with abstract malevolence Leibniz has taken assistance from the work of Augustine, Boethius, Plotinus and in the theory of Plato Leibniz has given a clear cut view in his theories that everyone and everything is not equally perfect. He states that it is only God who has immeasurable and unbounded perfection and faultlessness. God is the creator of everything and he has given his creations varying amounts of perfection. To give his creations complete exactness and divinity like Himself would be like the creation of another God by Him and this is not how the universe has been based. The universe has been based on His principles and thus with His creations God has given everyone his own boundaries and limitations that are to be followed by everyone. This clearly means that everyone is not equally perfect and thus Leibniz is trying to explain that precision and flawlessness is not based on the law of none and all. It comes in different amounts. Thus it is clear that everything except God, including the universe has its own flaws. A common concept of Leibniz is that the flaws suffered by all the things on this univ erse are made by the God himself. He is basically describing his theory of good by relating it to the power of God and his flawlessness. As described by Leibniz, every single thing on this planet has some flaws. For e.g. one human being cannot be perfect in whatever action he does. As is said in one famous quote "no one is perfect". Leibniz here clearly is relating this object of flaws found in the things made on the universe with reality. Over here another worldly example may be considered that everything that has been invented by the modern technology also has some limitations as we may consider that