OPTIMISM (from Lat. options, best: con. netted with optarc, to choose, apisci, Skt. 4p, to obtain). The name given to the doctrine of those philosophers and divines who hold that the exist ing order of things, whatever may he its seem ing imperfections of detail, is nevertheless, as a whole, the most perfect or the best which could have been created, or which it is possible to con ceive. Some of the advocates of optimism con tent themselves with maintaining the dogmatic position, that although God was not by any means bound to create the most perfect order of things. yet the existing order is (lc flirt° the best; others contend, in addition, that the perfection and wis dom of almighty God necessarily require that His creation should he the most perfect which it is possible to conceive. The full development of the optimistic theory as a philosophical system was reserved for Leibnitz (q.v.). His main thesis
may be briefly stated to be that among all the systems which presented themselves to the infinite intelligence of God, as possible, God on account of His goodness selected and created, in the ex isting universe, the best and most perfect. physi cally as well as morally. The details of the con troversial part of the system would be out of place in this work. It will he enough to say that the existence of evil, both moral and physical. is ex plained by Leibnitz as a necessary consequence of the finiteness of created beings: and it is con tended that in the balance of good and evil in the existing constitution of things. the preponderance of the former is greater than in any other con ceivable creation. The great argument of the optimists has always been in essence identical with Leibnitz.