Splat Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 To the question of the topic name (and the above post): “It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles. The legs are visibly designed for stockings, accordingly we wear stockings. Stones were made to be hewn and to construct castles, therefore My Lord has a magnificent castle; for the greatest baron in the province ought to be the best lodged. Swine were intended to be eaten, therefore we eat pork all the year round: and they, who assert that everything is right, do not express themselves correctly; they should say that everything is best.â€â€• Voltaire, Candide Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zar_ Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 You know, you could think of earth as hell and heaven as well, heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tats Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Voltaire is the worst philosopher France always had : liar, slanderer, racist, slaver, antisemist, esclavagist, freemason, atheist, etc. A true atheist is the sense in which he hated all religions, christianism, islam and so on, with no distinction or reason. He claimed from tolerance and freedom of speech, but he spent his entire life hating somebody or something : do as I say not as I do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splat Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Voltaire is the worst philosopher France always had : liar, slanderer, racist, slaver, antisemist, esclavagist, freemason, atheist, etc. A true atheist is the sense in which he hated all religions, christianism, islam and so on, with no distinction or reason. He claimed from tolerance and freedom of speech, but he spent his entire life hating somebody or something : do as I say not as I do... Doesn't change the argument put forward. Ad hominem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tats Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 My previous comment is the context, so as to understand his motivation and methods. In your quote, Voltaire uses proof by contradiction in an inaccurate way with that obvious motivation. As for me, his argument totally misses the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splat Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 My previous comment is the context, so as to understand his motivation and methods. In your quote, Voltaire uses proof by contradiction in an inaccurate way with that obvious motivation. As for me, his argument totally misses the point. He is not proving anything. He is just satirising the world view that God has made the world in the best interests of humanity. The point also applies to someone who believes there is an equal balance of good and evil, and that there is an indefinite evil flair to our existence. It certainly does not miss the point. Have you read Candide, by the way? I'm reading it right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tats Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Sure I read and studied it when I was in school. Almost everyone in my classroom didn't read it, and just look for summaries on internet. I personally forced myself to read it from the beginning to the end. I found it boring and repetitive with obvious anticlerical motives which annoyed me. The moral of this philosophical tale also disappointed me as it seems there is none, or some vague fatalistic perspective. I am fine with criticism when it is constructive. Voltaire spit in the soup as he was used to and doesn't deserve his aura of great french writter or philosopher. Do you read it on your own or is it related to your class ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splat Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 Sure I read and studied it when I was in school. Almost everyone in my classroom didn't read it, and just look for summaries on internet. I personally forced myself to read it from the beginning to the end. I found it boring and repetitive with obvious anticlerical motives which annoyed me. The moral of this philosophical tale also disappointed me as it seems there is none, or some vague fatalistic perspective. I am fine with criticism when it is constructive. Voltaire spit in the soup as he was used to and doesn't deserve his aura of great french writter or philosopher. Do you read it on your own or is it related to your class ? I'm reading it on my own, i love reading it actually, love his writing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProPain Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 i'm pretty sure that if he exists, he simply doesn't give a fuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.