Blaise Pascal and fideism Fideism

blaise pascal

another form of fideism assumed pascal s wager. blaise pascal invites atheist considering faith see faith in god cost-free choice carries potential reward. not attempt argue god indeed exists, might valuable assume true. of course, problem pascal s wager not restrict specific god, although pascal did have in mind christian god mentioned in following quote. in pensées, pascal writes:

who blame christians not being able give reasons beliefs, since profess belief in religion cannot explain? declare, when expound world, foolishness, stultitiam; , complain because not prove it! if proved it, not keep word; through lack of proofs show not lacking in sense.

pascal contests various proposed proofs of existence of god irrelevant. if proofs valid, beings propose demonstrate not congruent deity worshiped historical faiths, , can lead deism instead of revealed religion: god of abraham, isaac, , jacob—not god of philosophers!