Book ID: CBB595665733

Pascal: Reasoning and Belief (2020)

unapi

Moriarty, Michael (Author)


Oxford University Press


Publication Date: 2020
Physical Details: 432
Language: English

This book is a study of Blaise Pascal's defence of Christian belief in the Pensees. Michael Moriarty aims to expound--and in places to criticize--what he argues is a coherent and original apologetic strategy. Setting out the basic philosophical and theological presuppositions of Pascal's project, the present volume draws the distinction between convictions attained by reason and those inspired by God-given faith. It also presents Pascal's view of the contradictions within human nature, between the 'wretchedness' (our inability to live the life of reason, to attain secure and durable happiness) and the 'greatness' (the power of thought, manifested in the very awareness of our wretchedness). His mind-body dualism and his mechanistic conception of non-human animals are discussed. Pascal invokes the biblical story of the Fall and the doctrine of original sin as the only credible explanation of these contradictions. His analysis of human occupations as powered by the twin desire to escape from painful thoughts and to gratify one's vanity is subjected to critical examination, as is his conception of the self and self-love. Pascal argues that just as Christianity propounds theonly explanation for the human condition, so it offers the only kind of happiness that would satisfy our deepest longings. He thus reasons that we have an interest in investigating its truth-claims as rooted in the Bible and in history. The closing chapters of this book discuss Pascal's view of Christian morality and the famous 'wager' argument for opting in favour of Christian belief.

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Citation URI
https://data.isiscb.org/isis/citation/CBB595665733/

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Authors & Contributors
Mary Ann Caws
Mariangela Monaca
Arthur, Richard
Calloway, Katherine
Istituto Italiano per gli Studi Filosofici
Wegter-McNelly, Kirk Matthew
Concepts
Science and religion
Theology
Christianity
Philosophy
Natural philosophy
Physics
Time Periods
17th century
18th century
20th century
16th century
Ming dynasty (China, 1368-1644)
Ancient
Places
France
Italy
Europe
China
Institutions
Jesuits (Society of Jesus)
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