Pensees

by Blaise Pascal

Philosopher's Palte Vol. 4

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Book Description

Of all his efforts, outside of the realm of science, most individuals are familiar with Pascal's influential theological work, referred to as Pensées ("Thoughts"). This work was not completed before his death. It was to have been a sustained and coherent examination and defense of the Christian belief system, written more as a defense of the Christian religion.  This work was not complete, but was assembled from scattered papers gathered from his other works. Concerning religion, Pascal’s main strategies was to use the contradictory philosophies of Skepticism and Stoicism, which he assails against via Montaigne and Epictetus. This effort was intended to usher the perplexed and bewildered individual to such despair and confusion that he would embrace God.

This approach and overall strategy was deemed quite hazardous by a few others namely Pierre Nicole and Antoine Arnauld, among other friends and scholars of Port-Royal, which Blaise alludes to within this particular text. These same individuals were concerned that these fragmentary ‘thoughts’ might lead to skepticism rather than to piety. Thus, theses same collective members scattered the skeptical pieces, while modifying some of the rest, all in an attempt to squelch a possible further examination by either the King or Church. For should they take offense regarding the persecution of Port-Royal, these editors and others were not interested in a renewal of controversy.  Therefore, it was not until the nineteenth century that this work was reexamined and published in its full and authentic form.

It should be noted, that the structure of the apology has a skeletal frame as follows: Part I shows "from Nature" that man is wretched without God, Part II shows "from Scripture" that Jesus is the Redeemer of mankind. Part I subdivides into Ia (man without God) and Ib (man with God) to show man's inherent wretchedness. The themes of Part I are largely in the tone of earthly vanities, similar to the book of Ecclesiastes.

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