--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is demonstrable,\" said he, \"that…" description: "\"“It is demonstrable,\" said he, \"that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessari..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/voltaire-173_spectacles-legs_it-is-demonstrable-said-he-that-things-c_1303672.png" --- # It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be… ![“It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles. The legs are visibly…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/voltaire-173_spectacles-legs_it-is-demonstrable-said-he-that-things-c_1303672.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/voltaire-173_spectacles-legs_it-is-demonstrable-said-he-that-things-c_1303672.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04d/voltaire-173_spectacles-legs_it-is-demonstrable-said-he-that-things-c_1303672.png) > ““It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles. The legs are visibly designed for stockings, accordingly we wear stockings. Stones were made to be hewn and to construct castles, therefore My Lord has a magnificent castle; for the greatest baron in the province ought to be the best lodged. Swine were intended to be eaten, therefore we eat pork all the year round: and they, who assert that everything is right, do not express themselves correctly; they should say that everything is best.”” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that everything in nature has a purpose that serves the greatest good, and that recognizing these purposes justifies human use of objects and animals. **In simple terms:** All things have a purpose that serves the best outcome. Key Takeaway Accept that things are made for a reason. Themes purpose teleology optimism Mood reflective critical philosophical Type maxim argumentative didactic When to use this quote - architecture - fashion - culinary arts - animal consumption Key Concepts natural law utilitarianism Questions to Reflect On - Do we truly know the ultimate purpose of each thing? - Can purpose be judged as “best”? A Different Perspective Assumes all purposes are inherently good, ignoring suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Demonstrable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstrable-4288656/) [Demonstrable Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demonstrable-said-4288654/) [Spectacles Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacles-legs-722578/) [Stockings Accordingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stockings-accordingly-4288657/) [Swine Intended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swine-intended-4288655/) ## Related quotes > [Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spectacles-and-so-we-have/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Truth is not that which is demonstrable but that which is ineluctable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/truth-is-not-that-which-is-demonstrable-but-that-which-is-ineluctable/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More Spectacles Legs quotes > [Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spectacles-and-so-we-have/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Browse all 2 Spectacles Legs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacles-legs-722578/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is demonstrable,\" said he, \"that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end. Observe, for instance, the nose is formed for spectacles, therefore we wear spectacles. The legs are visibly designed for stockings, accordingly we wear stockings. Stones were made to be hewn and to construct castles, therefore My Lord has a magnificent castle; for the greatest baron in the province ought to be the best lodged. 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