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Candide - Philosophy of Voltaire- What is the ideal situation in life? The question often arises, for what purpose was man placed upon the earth? It seems, in this satirical work, that Voltaire is focusing mainly on remodeling the mental limitations of man's outlook on life. It quickly becomes evident that the target of his satire, as the title suggests, is the concept of philosophical optimism. His exaggerated tales of the horrors which his characters …

…that understanding one's boundaries and being content to live with what we are given, rather than pursue happiness, is itself the key to life. He points out that as a result of Candide abandoning his philosophical optimism, the characters may now be happy to "cultivate their garden." Rather than rampage over the world in search of truth or else sit idle as all passes by, one should do what is within his moderation and capabilities.