Questions On Pascal s Wager - 1878 Words

I am arguing that Pascal’s Wager is significantly stronger of a rationale when more social factors are taken into consideration. In his time, Blaise Pascal formed the foundation of the Pascal’s Wager we know of today, posthumously in the form of ‘Infinirien’. Though this is more easily defensible then Pascal’ Wager, the modified version has garnered enough popularity and has enough similar that it is the target of most criticisms. Pascal came up with a theory of understanding the consequences of not believing in God versus those that came with believing in him. From his calculations he determined that since believing in God had the same result as not believing when God didn’t exist. When God did exist however, the consequences of not believing were dire and the reward for believing was infinite. Pascal tried to explain that believing in God was the rational decision when such infinite rewards of heaven and such punishment of hell are possibili ties. Social implications are crucial to understanding how Pascal’s Wager might apply today and in countries of all different cultures. I will discuss three of the most common objections toward Pascal’s Wager and illustrate how considering just a few social factors make the decision to believe in God more rational then not. Then, I will explain how though there’s not enough evidence toward believing unswervingly, there is still enough positive implications that can warrant accepting your socially acceptable faith. Pascal’s Wager hasShow MoreRelatedQuestions On Pascal s Wager1833 Words   |  8 PagesPascal’s Wager is often considered one of philosophies weakest religious arguments to date. Pascal invents a wager to persuade the one who questions God into attending church, following the Ten Commandments, and following any other traditions in the Catholic Church. The wager is, if a person is a believer and after departing from this earth they find t hat they are correct, then their rewards are infinite. They will receive eternal life and a relationship with God in heaven. On the other hand if aRead MoreSummary Of Blaise Pascal s The Wager 1286 Words   |  6 PagesBlaise Pascal’s famous work, â€Å"the Wager,† utilizes about the concept of pragmatic justification in the terms of deciding whether or not to believe in God. In response to this, William Clifford publishes â€Å"The Ethics of Belief† countering Pascal’s view. Neither Pascal or Clifford’s views are perfect, but they are both worth examining. Clifford s universal rejection of pragmatic justification is ultimately too harsh on Pascal’s Wager. Pascal utilizes reason to come to the conclusion whether or notRead MorePascal s The Wager, By Simon Blackburn s Vs. An Assessment883 Words   |  4 Pagesworks of Blaise Pascal’s, â€Å"The Wager†, Simon Blackburn’s â€Å"Pascal’s Wager†, and Linda Zagzebski’s â€Å"Pascal’s Wager: An Assessment†. I will be comparing Pascal’s beliefs with the beliefs of Blackburn and Zagzebski as they discuss different ways to believe in God and if believing in God is a gamble on ones after-life, or simply just religious preference. I will discuss the works of these three philosophers and explain how their works may correlate and differ. The question presented in Pascal’s work isRead MoreWilliam James s Will For Believe1171 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam James’s Will to Believe. There are three elements to observe when dealing with a hypothesis. Jame s noted we must ask is our hypothesis dead or living, forced or avoidable, momentous. What the Will to Believe is advocating is one can morally or rationally believe in God or something, even if there is not sufficient intellectual evidence for such a belief. We answer the questions which are outlined on page 292 over the three points on the grounds of our â€Å"passional nature.† Passional natureRead MoreThe Roman Catholic Church Responded Treatment1645 Words   |  7 Pagesknowledge and truth, this created a kind of dualism. Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, he was French mathematician and philosopher. Pascal was the first to use probability theory, developed the fundamentals of calculus, challenged whether human reason could really address life’s greatest questions, and was deeply Christian thinker. Pensees, compilation of Pascal’s reflections on Christian truth, compiled after his death, most well literary work. Pascal’s wager, used a mathematical analogy to explain his faith inRead MoreThe Ideas Of Kierkegaard And Pascal2571 Words   |  11 PagesThere are some questions in the religious domain that reason cannot answer because there are situations in every religion that cannot logically be explained. Religions are not rational; therefore, reason alone is not adequate enough to validate religious truths. In this paper, I will demonstrate how reason and faith aren’t separate entities and how both are needed in order to explain all religious truths by examining the ideas of Kierkegaard and Pascal. I will also give a detailed explanation ofRead MoreThe Ethics Of Belief By Clifford. Pascal1776 Words   |  8 Pagesarrive at beliefs. William James, however, disapproves Clifford. Pascal has a different view on belief formation where he argues that reasons for believing and failing to believe in God are indecisive. The three philosophers have varied views on how beliefs are formed. This essay discusses the reasons why Clifford made the above conclusion, the position taken by James in his opposition and how the argument relates to Pascal’s Wager. In Clifford’s first section of his essay, he narrates two storiesRead MoreGod Is No Proof That God Exists?953 Words   |  4 Pagesa cost benefit analysis. A Pascalian wager is made with the notion that God may or may not exist. If one believes in God and God exists, then one will go to Heaven. If one believes in God and God does not exist, there will not be much to lose. However, if one does not believe in God and God does exist, an eternity of damnation will be faced. On this basis, it is rational to believe in God (Clark, 1994). We are literally betting with our lives. Critics of Pascal argue that there are too many religionsRead MoreMathematical Theory Of Mathematics And Mathematics1410 Words   |  6 Pagesused to build the pyramids. Probability’s beginning happened because of recreational circumstances. A gambler s dispute in 1654 led to the creation of the mathematical theory of probability by two famous French mathematicians, Blaise Pascal and Pierre de Fermat. Antoine Gombaud, Chevalier de Mà ©rà ©, a French nobleman with an interest in gaming and gambling questions, called Pascal s attention to an apparent contradiction concerning a popular dice game. The game consisted in throwing a pair of diceRead MoreNotes On Blaise Pascal s Theory Of The Classical Problem Of Modern Economics, Social Science, And Pascal2312 Words   |  10 PagesBlaise Pascal was born on June 19, 1623, in Clermont-Ferrand, France to Etienne and Antoinette Pascal. He was the only son having two sisters, Jacqueline and Gilberte. Blaise Pascal was a person of many hats as he had different traits and talents that he acquired. Not only was he an important mathematician, but also a philosopher, physicist, inventor, scientist, and the ological writer. Pascal made numerous contributions to a wide variety of studies that are still appreciated today including a powerful