Who is known for supporting the concept of sufficient reason in relation to the existence of God?

The concept of sufficient reason is primarily associated with Gottfried Leibniz. Leibniz articulated the principle of sufficient reason, which states that everything must have a reason or cause. In the context of the existence of God, Leibniz argued that the existence of the universe requires an explanation that goes beyond itself, leading to the necessity of a sufficient being—namely, God. He posited that God is the explanation for the existence of contingent beings, which need something outside of themselves to account for their existence.

Leibniz's exploration of this concept is particularly evident in his arguments for theism, where he sought to demonstrate that the universe's existence is not arbitrary but rather grounded in the existence of a necessary being. This necessary being, according to Leibniz, possesses the qualities of perfection and is the ultimate reason for why anything exists at all, thus reinforcing the relationship between the principle of sufficient reason and belief in God.