Pascal

Pascal's Wager

Basic Argument There is no conclusive proof for (or against) the existence of God If God exists we will gain a great deal by believing and lose a great deal by not believing If God does not exist, we will lose very little by believing and gain very little by not believing. Therefore it is rational to believe that God exists

Argument for Premiss 2:

We must choose if we believe in god or not as if you do not pick you do not believe

When pascal says God is or he is not isn't he overlooking the huge variety of possibilities that fall under the second option? For example if there is no god perhaps there is a devil who rewards atheists and punishes believers

"If there is a god he is infinitely incomprehensible" (p.233)

Five Objection:

(1)The problem of Uncertainty (2)Overlooked Utilities (3)The Devil's Wager (4)The Impossibility-of-Belief Objection (5)The Dignity-of-Man Objection

Pascal DOB DOD

1623-1662

Dignity-of-man objection

All the dignity of man consists in thought

When pascal says we should believe in God even though we are incapable of knowing either what he is or if he is isn't he asking us to do the impossible?

How few things are demonstrated! Proofs only connivence the mind, custom is the source of our strongest an most believed proofs? P.252

Argument for Premiss 1:

If god is real we cannot understand him

Argument for Premiss 3:

If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing