Pascal : reasoning and belief / Michael Moriarty.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Moriarty, Michael, 1956- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Pascal, Blaise, 1623-1662--Religion.

Pascal, Blaise.

Pascal, Blaise, 1623-1662.

Apologetics--France--History--17th century.

Apologetics.

Christian ethics--France--History--17th century.

Christian ethics.

Faith and reason.

History.

Religion.

France.

Physical Description:

viii, 413 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford, United Kingdom : Oxford University Press, 2020.

Summary:

"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 the only 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."-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Part I

3 The Uses of Philosophy: the Entretien avec M. de Sacy p. 30

4 Belief, Reason, Persuasion, Faith p. 38

5 Order and Disorder p. 68

6 Futility and Wretchedness p. 83

7 Reasons for the Irrational p. 117

8 Human Greatness p. 128

9 Contradictions p. 154

10 The Fall p. 164

11 Self p. 189

Part II

12 Diversion p. 211

13 Happiness p. 229

14 'The Plan of his Whole Work' p. 255

Part III

15 The Need to Seek for God p. 267

16 The Claims and Limits of Reason p. 297

18 True and False Religions: the Singularity of Christianity p. 313

19 The Order of Charity p. 341

20 The Wager p. 358.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [395]-405) and index.

ISBN:

9780198849117

0198849117

OCLC:

1112897536

Publisher Number:

99984288817