The problem of evil is a question that philosophers have been trying to answer for centuries. It simply states that if God exists and is perfect and all-powerful, then why does evil exist in our world? Two great philosophers, Gottfried Leibniz and Nicolas Malebranche, attempt to answer this question with their own solutions. Although they both answer the same question, they have radically different views. Specifically, they disagree on whether or not this world could be the best possible world created by God. In this article, I intend to dissect both men's solutions to the problem of evil and further argue for Leibniz's solution that this is the best possible world that God could have created. Before we begin reviewing these philosophers' solutions, it is important to first understand why they believed evil was a problem. The problem of evil is generally considered the main argument for atheism. The argument arises from the logic that if God is a perfect being and created everything; how can evil exist? The atheist will attempt to argue that God and evil are incompatible, meaning that God cannot exist since evil exists. (Murray). However, if we conclude that God exists, then how can a perfect being who has the power to create everything in the universe, then why did this God create evil? Is it possible that God is potentially the author of evil? These questions open the way for our philosophers to propose potential solutions to why an all-powerful God might create or allow evil to exist in our world. Leibniz has two potential solutions to these questions which he classifies as the problem of holiness and the problem of underachievers (Murray). As I mentioned earlier, the...... middle of article...... between the two philosophers. His solutions to the problem of evil seem more reliable, and he provides more evidence to support his argument. Malebranche's assertion that evil is a byproduct of the laws God has put in place does not seem plausible to me. So in conclusion, I find that Leibniz's solution to the problem of evil is more plausible and that this world is the best possible world that God could have created. Works Cited Leibniz, Gottfried. Essays on the justice of God and the freedom of man at the origins of evil. Malebranche, Nicolas. Dialogues on metaphysics and religion. sdMurray, Michael. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. February 27, 2013. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Schmaltz, Tad. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. October 7, 2013. April 29 2014 .