Wed, 29 July 2009 Blaise Pascal's Pensées is the subject of this episode of the Philosophy Bites podcast. Few philosophers know the Pensées well, apart from the passage in which Pascal set forth his famous 'wager' - the idea that agnostics should gamble on God existing. Here Ben Rogers explains who Pascal was, and why his book is worth reading. Comments[1] |
Pascal sounds a facinating thinker! Pascal's wager however always sounds like a cowards pact to me, and a poor argumernt therefore. However, an updated version might go something like...
"If God exists, loving God is the most important goal and most rewarding life we can possibly lead. Research shows that believers are (generally) happier, healthier and live longer. So even if you are wrong, to believe in a benign God is the best life you can lead - the way to Eudaimonia"
Would Pascal approve of this reframing?
"If God exists, loving God is the most important goal and most rewarding life we can possibly lead. Research shows that believers are (generally) happier, healthier and live longer. So even if you are wrong, to believe in a benign God is the best life you can lead - the way to Eudaimonia"
Would Pascal approve of this reframing?
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