BACKGROUND FOR READING VOLTAIRE’S CANDIDE:               

Rationalism in 17th Century Philosophy: Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza
   Strong estimate of powers of human reason & rationality of world

WILHELM LIEBNITZ: Monadology, discoverer of calculus (like Newton)
        philosophical “optimism” – everything is for the best taken to extreme
        doctrine of pre-established harmony – individual interest fits into a
           divine, broader purpose, even if individual (monad) doesn’t see it.
        problem of evil: answered by means of theodicy: a philosophical term
           for reconciliation of the existence of good God with evil, or
           “justifying the ways of God to man”  (in Milton’s phrase)
           (etymology: theos = God;  dix = justice; theodicy = God + justice)

Alexander Pope, Essay on Man (see link with lecture notes)
   Poetical expression of Liebnitz’ philosophy: “whatever is, is right”

VOLTAIRE’S CANDIDE: satire on optimistic philosophy of Leibniz (= Pangloss)
    written in 1758-59, after the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 which raises
    the problem of evil: why does God (assuming one) permit natural disasters?

    Characters: Candide: simple, honest, unsophisticated common sense approach
                     "his soul was too pure to depart from the truth"

            Pangloss: satirical portrayal of Leibniz as academic philosopher
                  out of touch with reality, expert who purports to understand
                  everything but has no practical reason, common sense

      Martin: calls himself Manichaean = heretical belief which explains
                   existence of evil in universe through theory that physical
                   world (including human body but not soul) was  created by
                   an evil power, not by the good God
             called "philosopher" : but how is he different from the
                   official "philosopher" of this story, Pangloss?
      Dervish: Ch. 30 "the best philosopher in Turkey," "When his
                   highness sends a galley to Egypt, does he worry about the
                   comfort or discomfort of the rats on the ship?"

What kinds of laws of nature and society govern Candide's world?

Sources of evil in world both human & natural: "moral & physical evil," Ch. 20

      Natural: storms, shipwreck, earthquake

      Human: individual level: greed, hypocrisy; stupidity; see Ch 21

         institutional (collective) level: religion, dogmatism; superstition;
               e.g. Spanish Inquisition: auto-da-fe (act of faith)= public
                    ceremony of executing heretics and punishing dissidents
                   Jesuits in the New World; Theatine monk in Venice
            politics: Bulgarian army; warfare; Kings at Venice Carneval Ch 16
            custom, pretensions of the nobility ("quarterings" of nobility)
               rank via geneology: one quarter = a noble great or grandparent
         e.g. Cunegunde's Jesuit brother takes offense at Candide's
                        desire to marry his sister (Ch. 15)
            society: experiences in France Ch. 22; Paquette in Venice Ch 24
            learning, culture: Venice -- the bored Signor Pococurante Ch 25

Images of good: Cunegunde; El Dorado (Ch. 18): natural religion = one God, no
               monks or priests; no law courts; leave with gold, diamonds etc.
              Farm (Ch. 29-30): work without theorizing; cultivate our gardens.