Blaise Pascal's Pensees the Pensees Term Paper

"On the fact that the Christian religion is not the only religion. -- So far is this from being a reason for believing that it is not the true one that, on the contrary, it makes us see that it is so. Men must be sincere in all religions; true heathens, true Jews, true Christians." (Penesees, 589-590, Section IX)

3. Pascal's orders of body, mind and heart suggestively signify the strength and weakness of mankind. Pascal defines man's body as the brute, having been created in the likeness of God but completely different from His other creatures. Man continually focuses on himself as the center of his study. Yet it is an endless task that cannot be undertaken in full satisfaction. The mind has brought reasons, postulating theories and mathematical equations, but as Pascal concludes that in comprehension all of these are limited. Both body and mind experiences lust thus leading to wretchedness and misery. The heart however displays the strength of man for." It is the heart which experiences God, and not the reason. This, then, is faith: God felt by the heart, not by the reason." (Pensees 278, Section IV)

4. In the Pensees, Pascal alternately defines the truth against the supernatural truth as the truth being the reality of things. The truth is every creature that is made out of matter and mass. It is the knowledge that man gains from experience and natural instinct. It is in comprehension of the arts, science and mathematical equation. In Pascal's viewpoint, the supernatural truth lies within man's belief and faith. It is by this supernatural truth that God exists. The supernatural truth is deeply embedded in the truth as rationalized by man. Therefore, the orders that are greatly affected by these two separate truths are the mind and the heart of which case it complements one another in comprehending both truths.

5. In Pascal's arguments about religion, the existence of God and Christianity directly complement the core idea of the Pensees.That is to stand in defense of the Christian Faith. His line of reasoning on religion utters in evidences and proofs that God exists. The God in the Penesees refers to the God of the Christians and other religion which believes that there is a Divine Being that created the world. Pascal describes religion as part of man's duty to seek his God. It is through religion that man understands the things that are happening within the context of the supernatural truth. Pascal reiterates that Christianity practices this duty, stating that "The true religion must have as a characteristic the obligation to love God. This is very just, and yet no other religion has commanded this; ours (Christianity) has done so. It must also be aware of human lust and weakness; ours is so. It must have adduced remedies for this; one is prayer. No other religion has asked of God to love and follow Him." (Pensees 491, Section VII).

6. The main core of Pascal's Wager is that it is better to gamble that God exists instead of Him not in existence. On Pascal's perspective God exists primarily because of all the proofs that man has already accumulated and in present comprehension. It is better to believe that He exists, created the world, a Divine Being than not to believe at all. He argues that man gains more in believing in God's existence than not believing. Those that are not yet believers are still in the process of discovering the truth but such truth is endless. "Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is. Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing." (Pensees 231, Section III). Even with the non-completion of the Pensees due to Pascal's death, upon reading the book, I find that the Pensees have served its primary motive and has brought forth all the messages and lessons that Blaise Pascal wants to.....