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Leibniz, creation and the best of all possible worlds

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Abstract

Leibniz argued that God would not create a world unless it was the best possible world. I defend Leibniz’s argument. I then consider whether God could refrain from creating if there were no best possible world. I argue that God, on pain of contradiction, could not refrain from creating in such a situation. I conclude that either this is the best possible world or God is not our creator.

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Correspondence to Jesse R. Steinberg.

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Steinberg, J.R. Leibniz, creation and the best of all possible worlds. Int J Philos Relig 62, 123–133 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-007-9136-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-007-9136-7

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