Philosophy(Descartes, Malebranche, Spinoza, Leibniz, Berkeley, Hume, Locke) - Essay Example

Spinoza believes that there is nothing fantastical about the natural way in which things are done. In regards to God and nature, God is simply an extension of nature. He did not create nature, nor does He have any say or anything to do with what happens, as He himself is a part of it. Gottfried Leibniz, however, believed that God was the reason that this universe is the way it is, as opposed to any other possible way. God is the grand architect of the universe, though the act was supposedly done randomly, and not premeditated.

Leibniz also stated that only God would know the purpose for the existence of the things living in the universe, and the different concepts that go along with them. It is because of this that Leibniz feels that God’s purpose is to keep these things organized and to be sure that they fulfill their purpose, lest they be pointless and irrelevant to the circle and workings of nature. Part of Leibniz’s philosophy of God’s existence is that, since God decides what does or does not belong in the world, it is up to God on how much good and evil should also exist.

God creates good and evil, but He chooses to keep as many perfect things as possible, since God would not want evil when He can present the world with good and wonderful things. The differences between the two separate philosophers and their theories of God is that while Spinoza feels that God is just a part of nature, Leibniz feels that God is the reason life and the universe are the way they are. To one philosopher, God plays a small, typical role that seems to be the same as that of humans and the rest of nature (meaning that God is not held in a high position).

Yet, to the other philosopher, God’s role is larger and more relevant to the outcome of the universe, seeing as it is by God’s doing that the universe functions the way that