I know us atheists will give the Wager a hard time. Because with our current understanding and knowledge it is like shooting fish in a barrel. But I thought, poor Blaise, he was a scientist and a genius mathematician.
He made important contributions to the construction of mechanical calculators, the study of fluids, and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum by generalizing the work of Evangelista Torricelli. Pascal also wrote powerfully in defense of the scientific method.
But I will remember him most for this quote:
"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" (of course, he said it in French).
So while I don't really have a question I would have us atheists remember who Blaise Pascal was, even as we are completely demolishing his outdated wager.
2007-02-27 11:20:04 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
aaand that should read redeemed. Damn you, late-night posting!
2007-02-27 11:27:29 · update #1
squishy: any excuse to drink is a good one. And I mentioned the wager. Chug!
2007-02-27 11:29:04 · update #2
Of course. Pascal was very knowledgeable and contributed much to society and the scientific community.
Pascal's Wager was just something he jotted down on scraps of paper (probably not TOO seriously), which eventually got compiled into "Pensées" along with this other notes and idle doodles. He probably didn't give it too much thought, and I doubt he lived by it- he was an ascetic and had other reasons to follow religion (especially after a near-death carriage accident).
Pascal was a great guy, but his wager wasn't his best work. Hopefully people won't think him ignorant for it- but I hope people DO think ignorant of people who use Pascal's Wager seriously!
2007-02-27 11:35:35 · answer #1 · answered by dmlk2 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yeah, I feel a little sorry for him, he was a clever guy. It's not even clear that he proposed the wager as a serious argument for belief, in much the way we believe King Cnut (wrongly) to have tried to stop the tide (he was demonstrating the limits of kingly power). Blaise is cursed by his wager and we forget his other stuff. It's a bit like remembering Robert Hooke just for being the man who had a huge row with Newton and forgetting his contributions to physics, architecture, microscopy and anatomy. And the fact that he had a system of noting in his diary the quality of his orgasms with his neice... some people....
2007-02-27 19:28:59 · answer #2 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, Religion can Really mess with People.
Pretty Smart Dude.
Now-----Please Stoooop!
Every Time I see Pascal it Reminds me of Pastel and those Colors! Those Beautiful Colors!!! Colorful Pictures!!! All Smudgy and Smeared!
Stoooop!!!
Ditto.........................
2007-02-27 19:29:49 · answer #3 · answered by maguyver727 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
im sure he was a great intelectual man but its when people try to use his wager against our beliefs that gets tiring
2007-02-27 19:32:03 · answer #4 · answered by god_of_the_accursed 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
BOTTOMS UP to Pascal and all his wonderful work!! Great quote, by the way...
2007-02-27 19:28:07 · answer #5 · answered by YDoncha_Blowme 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hello.. :)
Thank-you for posting this..it was very nice of you..
I enjoy reading his last words being "May God never abandon me..
In Jesus Most Precious Name..
With Love..In Christ.. :)
2007-02-27 19:30:42 · answer #6 · answered by EyeLovesJesus 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Weird I've always thought of him as one of those science hating conservative fundamentalists. I hate his goofy wager though.
2007-02-27 19:25:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Anyone who does not accept the Son of Man and the Son of God will face eternal damnation. This includes athiests and Muslims, among others.
2007-02-27 19:24:57 · answer #8 · answered by Samuel Crow 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Eh, I agree.
however, his wager is not redeemed, just him.
Do I drink to this?
2007-02-27 19:27:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Cool, thanks for the info.
I loved the quote, it's so true.
2007-02-27 19:24:30 · answer #10 · answered by lilith 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋