Pascal's Wager
The 17th century French polymath, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), is famous for several reasons. Taught by his father, he was a child prodigy who excelled in mathematics and the science of his day.
Amazingly enough, whilst still in his teens, he developed ideas about calculating machines and over three years produced 50 prototypes. He is rightly considered one of the fathers of mechanical calculators and his findings contributed eventually to the rise of modern computers. In fact one of the early computer programming languages was named after him: Pascal.
His major scientific discoveries, however, related to chemistry, particularly the study of fluids and the clarification of theories about gases under pressure and the vacuum. I can recall first learning about him in high school Chemistry - a Pascal is now a unit of pressure.
His major contributions to mathematics began when he was just 16, both in geometry and probability theory. In fact this latter theory led him to his primary reason for choosing to believe in God (though let me add, this is NOT why he believed in God - more of that in the next picture).
Pascal's Wager is another term that has entered our lexicon. In it Pascal argues that one must stake one's own life on the outcome of a coin toss.
Suppose the following (and I'll use terms current with the theology of his age):
You believe in God AND
{God exists} = Eternal Happiness or Heaven
{God does not exist} = Nothing
You do not believe in God AND
{God exists} = Eternal Damnation or Hell
{God does not exist} = Nothing
Now leaving aside the debate about Hell (in which most people in Pascal's age believed), you can see the conclusion. By staking your life on the fact that God exists you cannot lose the bet. And more than this, you have lived a virtuous life (supposing that you are true to the principles of your faith).
But this rational argument is not why Blaise Pascal believed in God. He also said, "The heart has its reasons which reason cannot tell." So to the next picture...
Pascal's Wager
The 17th century French polymath, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), is famous for several reasons. Taught by his father, he was a child prodigy who excelled in mathematics and the science of his day.
Amazingly enough, whilst still in his teens, he developed ideas about calculating machines and over three years produced 50 prototypes. He is rightly considered one of the fathers of mechanical calculators and his findings contributed eventually to the rise of modern computers. In fact one of the early computer programming languages was named after him: Pascal.
His major scientific discoveries, however, related to chemistry, particularly the study of fluids and the clarification of theories about gases under pressure and the vacuum. I can recall first learning about him in high school Chemistry - a Pascal is now a unit of pressure.
His major contributions to mathematics began when he was just 16, both in geometry and probability theory. In fact this latter theory led him to his primary reason for choosing to believe in God (though let me add, this is NOT why he believed in God - more of that in the next picture).
Pascal's Wager is another term that has entered our lexicon. In it Pascal argues that one must stake one's own life on the outcome of a coin toss.
Suppose the following (and I'll use terms current with the theology of his age):
You believe in God AND
{God exists} = Eternal Happiness or Heaven
{God does not exist} = Nothing
You do not believe in God AND
{God exists} = Eternal Damnation or Hell
{God does not exist} = Nothing
Now leaving aside the debate about Hell (in which most people in Pascal's age believed), you can see the conclusion. By staking your life on the fact that God exists you cannot lose the bet. And more than this, you have lived a virtuous life (supposing that you are true to the principles of your faith).
But this rational argument is not why Blaise Pascal believed in God. He also said, "The heart has its reasons which reason cannot tell." So to the next picture...