Theodizee

Theodizee, a teleological term, revived by Leibniz (a tract published by him in 1710 bears the term as title) to demonstrate that the best of all worlds has an inherent tendency towards perfection. Thus he explains evil as a negative force, which, if seen in terms of imperfection, is instrumental in the recognition of the positive forces striving towards perfection. The term persisted in philosophical polemics (e.g. in Kant and Schopenhauer), and has also been adopted by literary criticism concerned with metaphysics (viz. the justification of God as opposed to his negation).