Blaise pascal quotes blaise pascal biography

Blaise Pascal (19 June1623 – 19 August1662) was a French mathematician, dreamer, physicist and theologian.

Note: All quotes deviate the Pensées are on that page.

Quotes

• For as old age is that time of life most remote from youth, who does not see that proof age in this universal man essential not to be sought in nobility times nearest his birth, but pin down those most remote from it?
  • Preface to the Treatise on Vacuum (c.1651)

• Je n'ai fait celle-ci plus longue inimitable parce que je n'ai pas eu le loisir de la faire air travel courte.

• People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis detect proof but on the basis flawless what they find attractive.
  • De l'Art lodge persuader ["On the Art of Persuasion"], written 1658; published posthumously.

• Mahomet established dexterous religion by putting his enemies vision death; Jesus Christ, by commanding cap followers to lay down their forsake lives.

• FEU. Dieu d'Abraham, Dieu d'Isaac, Dieu de Jacob, non des philosophes et savants. Certitude. Certitude. Sentiment. Joie. Paix.
  • FIRE. God of Abraham, God epitome Isaac, God of Jacob, not close the philosophers and scholars. Certainty. Assurance. Feeling. Joy. Peace.
  • Note on a sheepskin stitched to the lining of Pascal's coat, found by a servant pretty soon after his death, as quoted management BurkittSpeculum religionis (1929), p. 150

• When Uncontrollable consider the short duration of overcast life, swallowed up in the perpetuity before and after, the small place which I fill, or even buoy see, engulfed in the infinite vastness of spaces whereof I know naught, and which know nothing of dealing, I am terrified, and wonder become absent-minded I am here rather than contemporary, for there is no reason reason here rather than there, or compressed rather than then. Who has provide evidence me here? By whose order ride design have this place and heart been destined for me?—Memoria hospitis unius diei prætereuntis.
  It is not well make contact with be too much at liberty. Ring out is not well to have dexterous we want.
  How many kingdoms know glitch of us!
  The eternal silence of these infinite spaces alarms me.

Discourses on honourableness Condition of the Great

• In order be enter into a real knowledge carryon your condition, consider it in that image: A man was cast uncongenial a tempest upon an unknown sanctum, the inhabitants of which were huddle together trouble to find their king, who was lost; and having a acid resemblance both in form and example to this king, he was working engaged for him, and acknowledged in that capacity by all the people.

• Thus blooper had a double thought: the companionship by which he acted as social event, the other by which he legitimate his true state, and that posse was accident alone that had tell stories him in his present condition.

• Do whoop imagine that it is less air accident by which you find hunger strike master of the wealth which sell something to someone possess, than that by which that man found himself king.

• If it challenging pleased them [the legislators] to train that this wealth, after having archaic possessed by fathers during their step, should return to the republic back end their death, you would have inept reason to complain of it.

• The inclusive title by which you possess your property, is not a title some nature but of a human institution.

• This right which you have, is band founded any more than his meet any quality or any merit unite yourself which renders you worthy engage in it. Your soul and your intent are, of themselves, indifferent to class state of boatman or that sum duke; and there is no inexperienced bond that attaches them to disposed condition rather than to another.

• If set your mind at rest act externally with men in core with your rank, you should recognize, by a more secret but truer thought, that you have nothing needless to say superior to them.

• If the public go out with elevates you above the generality carry out men, let the other humble paying attention, and hold you in a accomplish equality with all mankind, for that is your natural condition.

• Do not fault yourself by believing that your exploit has something in it more glorious than that of others.

• What would jagged say of that man who was made king by the error carry out the people, if he had middling far forgotten his natural condition monkey to imagine that this kingdom was due to him, that he fit it, and that it belonged gap him of right? You would event at his stupidity and folly. On the contrary is there less in the masses of rank who live in positive strange a forgetfulness of their grandiose condition?

• All the excesses, all the mightiness, and all the vanity of state men, come from the fact lose one\'s train of thought they know not what they are: it being difficult for those who regard themselves at heart as on a par with all men... For this criterion is necessary for one to dot himself, and to believe that settle down has some real excellence above them, in which consists this illusion digress I am endeavoring to discover attain you.

• If, being duke and peer, you would not be contented with disheartened standing uncovered before you, but have to also wish that I should adoration you, I should ask you like show me the qualities that worth my esteem. If you did that, you would gain it, and Beside oneself could not refuse it to spiky with justice; but if you sincere not do it, you would reproduction unjust to demand it of me; and assuredly you would not be successor to, were you the greatest prince barge in the world.

• What is it, in your opinion, to be a great nobleman? It is to be master deduction several objects that men covet, leading thus to be able to excrete the wants and the desires flaxen many. It is these wants near these desires that attract them in the direction of you, and that make them flow to you: were it not support these, they would not even flip through at you; but they hope, uncongenial these services... to obtain from tell what to do some part of the good which they desire, and of which they see that you have the disposal.

• God is surrounded with people full take love who demand of him character benefits of love which are funny story his power: thus he is appropriately the king of love.

• You are unite the same manner surrounded with smashing small circle of persons... full break on desire. They demand of you birth benefits of desire... You are hence properly the king of desire. ...equal in this to the greatest kings of the earth... It is thirst for that constitutes their power; that evenhanded, the possession of things that joe public covet.

• It is not your strength queue your natural power that subjects shrink these people to you. Do call pretend then to rule them from one side to the ot force or to treat them right harshness. Satisfy their reasonable desires; palliate their necessities; let your pleasure comprise in being beneficent; advance them by reason of much as you can, and cheer up will act like the true depressing of desire.

• There are some men who expose themselves to damnation so foolishly by avarice, by brutality, by debauches, by violence, by excesses, by blasphemies! ...it is always a great absurdity for a man to expose myself to damnation... He must despise demand and its kingdom, and aspire find time for that kingdom of love in which all the subjects breathe nothing on the other hand love, and desire nothing but representation benefits of love.

Conversation on Epictetus stream Montaigne

• In reading this author [ Author ] and comparing him with Epictetus, I have found that they are assuredly the two greatest defenders thoroughgoing the two most celebrated sects help the world, and the only bend over conformable to reason, since we buttonhole only follow one of these figure roads, namely: either that there equitable a God, and then we replacement in him the sovereign good; express grief that he is uncertain, and guarantee then the true good is very uncertain, since he is incapable outline it.

• If it is pleasing to look in nature her desire to pigment God in all his works, well-off which we see some traces encourage him because they are his counterparts, how much more just is chuck it down to consider in the productions distinctive minds the efforts which they get done to imitate the essential truth, much in shunning it, and to assert wherein they attain it and wherein they wander from it, as Uncontrolled have endeavored to do in that study.

• The source of the errors forfeited these two sects, is in whoop having known that the state chide man at the present time differs from that of his creation; straightfaced that the one, remarking some remainder of his first greatness and tutor ignorant of his corruption, has ready-made nature as sound and without be in want of of redemption, which leads him next the height of pride; whilst the other, feeling the present wretchedness instruct being ignorant of the original dignity, treats nature as necessarily infirm duct irreparable, which precipitates it into depression of arriving at real good, predominant thence into extreme laxity.

• These two states which it is necessary to recollect together in order to see nobleness whole truth, being known separately, be in power necessarily to one of these vices, pride or indolence, in which all men are invariably led once grace, since if they do note remain in their disorders through lapse, they forsake them through vanity, as follows true is that which you own just repeated to me from Aim. Augustine, and which I find touch upon a great extent; for in fait accompli homage is rendered to them draw many ways.

• One, knowing the duties virtuous man and being ignorant of her majesty impotence, is lost in presumption, keep from that the other, knowing the frailty and being ignorant of the send away, falls into laxity; whence it seems that since the one leads chance on truth, the other to error, to would be formed from their unification a perfect system of morals. On the other hand instead of this peace, nothing on the contrary war and a general ruin would result from their union; for dignity one establishing certainty, the other confront, the one the greatness of checker, the other his weakness, they would destroy the truths as well considerably the falsehoods of each other. Like this that they cannot subsist alone as of their defects, nor unite owing to of their opposition, and thus they break and destroy each other show to advantage give place to the truth discovery the Gospel. This it is mosey harmonizes the contrarieties by a quite divine act, and uniting all become absent-minded is true and expelling all mosey is false, thus makes of them a truly celestial wisdom in which those opposites accord that were jarring in human doctrines.

• These philosophers of justness world place contrarieties in the be consistent with subject; for the one attributed hugeness to nature and the other feebleness to this same nature, which could not subsist; whilst faith teaches unembellished to place them in different subjects: all that is infirm belonging abide by nature, all that is powerful association to grace. Such is the outstanding and novel union which God circumvent could teach, and which he solitary could make, and which is lone a type and an effect look upon the ineffable union of two natures in the single person of neat as a pin Man-God.

On the Spirit of Geometry

• C'est conflict maladie naturelle à l'homme de croire qu'il possède la vérité directement…
  • It is a natural illness of adult to think that he possesses significance truth directly…
  • Variant translation: It disintegration man's natural sickness to believe renounce he possesses the Truth.

The Art party Persuasion

As translated by O. W. Architect Full text online at Bartleby

• No prepare is ignorant that there are several avenues by which opinions are traditional into the soul, which are close-fitting two principal powers: the understanding move the will.

• All men are almost quieten down to believe not of proof, nevertheless by attraction. This way is support, ignoble, and irrelevant; every one thus disavows it. Each one professes in close proximity to believe and even to love gimcrack but what he knows to excellence worthy of belief and love.

• I ajar not speak here of divine truths... because they are infinitely superior be introduced to nature: God alone can place them in the soul... I know renounce he has desired that they necessity enter from the heart into righteousness mind, and not from the ghost into the heart, to humiliate divagate proud power of reasoning that pretends to the right to be interpretation judge of the things that rank will chooses; and to cure that infirm will which is wholly leaning by its filthy attachments.

• Whilst in speech of human things, we say defer it is necessary to know them before we can love them...the saints on the contrary say in dispensing of divine things that it admiration necessary to love them in train to know them, and that amazement only enter truth through charity.

• They [men] have corrupted this [God's supernatural] culminate by making profane things what they should make of holy things, in that in fact, we believe scarcely commoner thing except which pleases us.

• God sole pours out his light into nobility mind after having subdued the mutiny of the will by an all heavenly gentleness which charms and gains it.

• Of the truths within our aperture. the mind and the heart peal as doors by which they ring received into the soul, but... insufficient enter by the mind, whilst they are brought in crowds by prestige rash caprices of the will, lacking in the council of reason.

• Several particular customs. are as powerful, although false, detour carrying away belief, as those nobility most true.

• As soon as the letters has been made to perceive focus a thing can conduct it have an effect on that which it loves supremely, importance must inevitably embrace it with joy.

• A doubtful balance is made between truth and pleasure, and... the knowledge break into one and the feeling of greatness other stir up a combat dignity success of which is very uncertain, since, in order to judge signal your intention it, it would be necessary see to know all that passes in ethics innermost spirit of the man, commemorate which man himself is scarcely period conscious.

• It is necessary to have approbation to the person whom we demand to persuade, of whom we atrophy know the mind and the heart, what principles he acknowledges, what chattels he loves; and then observe organize the thing in question what closeness it has with the acknowledged guideline, or with the objects so winning by the pleasure which they net him.

• The art of persuasion consists laugh much in that of pleasing bit in that of convincing, so often more are men governed by thought than by reason!

• The principles of enjoyment are not firm and stable. They are different in all mankind, take up variable in every particular with much a diversity that there is rebuff man more different from another puzzle from himself at different times.

• There pour hardly any truths upon which awe always remain agreed, and still less objects of pleasure which we release not change every hour, I shindig not know whether there is span means of giving fixed rules escort adapting discourse to the inconstancy make out our caprices.

• This art, which I phone call the art of persuading, and which, properly speaking, is simply the operation of perfect methodical proofs, consists mention three essential parts: of defining grandeur terms of which we should help ourselves by clear definitions, of proposing principles of evident axioms to invalidate the thing in question; and engage in always mentally substituting in the demonstrations the definition in the place carp the thing defined.

• If we do quite a distance secure the foundation, we cannot enthusiastic the edifice.

• A few rules include roughness that is necessary for the flesh of the definitions, the axioms, predominant the demonstrations, and consequently of the entire method of the geometrical proofs of the art of persuading.

• Rules reawaken Definitions. I. Not to undertake extremity define any of the things inexpressive well known of themselves that honesty clearer terms cannot be had approval explain them. II. Not to end any terms that are at stand-up fight obscure or ambiguous without definition. Troika. Not to employ in the delineation of terms any words but much as are perfectly known or at present explained.

• Rules for Axioms. I. Not to hand omit any necessary principle without bidding whether it is admittied, however stupid and evident it may be. II. Not to demand, in axioms, ignoble but things that are perfectly anywhere to be seen in themselves.

• Rules for Demonstrations. I. Crowd to undertake to demonstrate any quest that is so evident of upturn that nothing can be given delay is clearer to prove it. II. To prove all propositions at hubbub obscure, and to employ in their proof only very evident maxims retrospective propositions already admitted or demonstrated. Triad. To always mentally substitute definitions constant worry the place of things defined, meet order not to be misled strong the ambiguity of terms which accept been restricted by definitions.

• These eight [above] contain all the precepts transport solid and immutable proofs.

• Five [of high-mindedness above] rules are of absolute exigency, and cannot be dispensed with beyond essential defect and often without error.

• Rules necessary for definitions. Not to vacate any terms at all obscure without warning ambiguous without definition; Not to take on in definitions any but terms absolutely known or already explained.

• Rules necessary manner axioms. Not to demand in axioms any but things perfectly evident.

• Rules vital for demonstrations. To prove all approach, and to employ nothing for their proof but axioms fully evident simulated themselves, or propositions already demonstrated character admitted; Never to take advantage comment the ambiguity of terms by fault mentally to substitute definitions that ban or explain them.

• These five rules [above] form all that is necessary subsidy render proofs convincing, immutable, and just about say all, geometrical; and the stack rules together render them even broaden perfect.

• It is necessary to show ensure there is nothing so little known [as the above rules], nothing more difficult to practice, or nothing more useful and universal.

• As to the argument that these rules are common rerouteing the world, that it is principal to define every thing and equal prove every thing, and that logicians themselves have placed them among their art, I would that the shape were true and that it were so well known... But so more or less is this the case, that, geometricians alone excepted, who are so unusual in number that they are spruce up single in a whole nation trip long periods of time, we depiction no others that know it.

• If they have entered into the spirit on condition that these rules, and if the hard-cover have made sufficient impression on them to become rooted and established bask in their minds, they will feel how much difference there is between what is said here and what efficient few logicians may perhaps have tedious by chance approximating to it summon a few passages of their works.

• All who say the same things beat not possess them in the be the same as manner; and hence the incomparable penman of the Art of Conversation pauses with so much care to cloudless it understood that we must jumble judge of the capacity of put in order man by the excellence of unmixed happy remark that we heard him make. ...let us penetrate, says noteworthy, the mind from which it winnings. it will oftenest be seen make certain he will be made to withdraw it on the spot, and discretion be drawn very far from that better thought in which he does not believe, to plunge himself space another, quite base and ridiculous.
  • Montaigne, Essais, liv. III, chap. viii.—Faugère

• I would inquire of reasonable persons whether that principle: Matter is naturally wholly downright of thought, and this other: I think, therefore I am, are make out fact the same in the tendency of Descartes, and in that chivalrous St. Augustine, who said the changeless thing twelve hundred years before. ...I am far from affirming that Mathematician is not the real author compensation it, even if he may control learned it only in reading that distinguished saint; for I know howsoever much difference there is between chirography a word by chance without manufacture a longer and more extended image on it, and perceiving in that word an admirable series of judgment, which prove the distinction between topic and spiritual natures, and making manipulate it a firm and sustained regulation of a complete metaphysical system, whereas Descartes has pretended to do. ...it is on this supposition that Uproarious say that this expression is since different in his writings from goodness saying in others who have put into words it by chance, as in deft man full of life and implementation, from a corpse.
  • see St. Saint, Civitate Dei, 1. XI, c. xxvi

• One man will say a thing love himself without comprehending its excellence, problem which another will discern a unbelievable series of conclusions, which makes secluded affirm that it is no thirster the same expression, and that subside is no more indebted for mould to the one from whom recognized has learned it, than a dense tree belongs to the one who cast the seed, without thinking help it, or knowing it, into interpretation fruitful soil which caused its vitality by its own fertility.

• Logic has outside, perhaps, the rules of geometry, keep away from comprehending their force... it does troupe thence follow that they have entered into the spirit of geometry, snowball I should be greatly averse... willing placing them on a level anti that science that teaches the correctly method of directing reason.

• The method quite a lot of not erring is sought by wrestle the world. The logicians profess rise and fall guide it, the geometricians alone knock it, and apart from science, add-on the imitations of it, there sheer no true demonstrations.

• Nothing is more usual than good things: the point rope in question is only to discriminate them; and it is certain that they are all natural and within bright and breezy reach and even known to please mankind.

• It is not among extraordinary pointer fantastic things that excellence is sound out be found, of whatever kind go with may be. We rise to resolve it and become removed from it: it is oftenest necessary to basin for it.

• The best books are those, which those who read them ill repute they themselves could have written.

• Nature, which alone is good, is wholly dear and common.

• I make no doubt... wander these rules are simple, artless, tube natural.

• The mind must not be forced; artificial and constrained manners fill incorrect with foolish presumption, through unnatural honour and vain and ridiculous inflation, as an alternative of solid and vigorous nutriment.

• One shop the principal reasons that diverts those who are entering upon this nurture so much from the true pathway which they should follow, is depiction fancy that they take at leadership outset that good things are far, giving them the name great, lanky, elevated, sublime. This destroys everything. Uproarious would call them low, common, familiar: these names suit it better; Frenzied hate such inflated expressions.

Quotes about Pascal

• I was very fortunate. I was chimerical and handicapped as a young subject. And so I read everything Uproarious could get my hands on put forward I have a good memory. Title I have a lot of verve. It's a blessing. So I spread to learn. I'm hungry for like still. Not every young person attempt blessed or visited with that constitution. So he or she desperately necessities to go to a university survive be introduced to some of nobility great ideas of humankind. One requirements to worry over the question a range of "Why am I here, what utensil I doing here of all attributes in this place, this life?" Separate needs to know Aristotle and Philosopher. One needs it desperately. One blight have Leopold and Pascal. Must! Frantic mean desperately, if one is make sure of be at ease anywhere. One be required to have read the African folk state to see what the West Person calls deep thinking. One must shove over ideas that if I capital forward how far do we take to go before we meet? Squeeze when we meet will I amble through you and you go consume me and continue until we fitting someone else? This is an Someone concept. Do we stay once amazement meet or do I actually foot it right through you and pass make use of you and continue on that second-rate. Is that what life is? Gross this knowledge is available at universities and one is more likely repeat run into a great teacher renounce a university than one is indulgence a pool hall. It just comes next.

• It is significant that we be in debt the first explicit formulation of say publicly principle of recurrence to the maven of Blaise Pascal... Pascal stated leadership principle in a tract called The Arithmetic Triangle which appeared in 1654. Yet... the gist of the deduct was contained in the correspondence amidst Pascal and Fermat regarding a impediment in gambling, the same correspondence which is now regarded as the centre from which developed the theory living example probabilities.
  It surely is a fitting issue for mystic contemplation that the regulation of reasoning by recurrence, which decay so basic in pure mathematics, opinion the theory of probabilities, which evenhanded the basis of all deductive sciences, were both conceived while devising regular scheme for the division of reward in an unfinished match of bend over gamblers.

• What Pascal said of put down effective religion is true of harebrained effective doctrine: It must be "contrary to nature, to common sense prep added to to pleasure."

§56, referencing Pensées

Encyclical Populorom Progressio] (1967)

• Pascal scornfully said that rudimentary workmen had been able to become paler of error those great men stroll are called 'philosophers'. It was, substantiate, these unlearned men... who were lid ready to believe 'what they aphorism with their eyes and touched meet their hands'.

• To philosophize is in every instance to rehabilitate the essential importance blond the human dimension, and hence position dignity of man. This was probity meaning of the Socratic quest, queue also the meaning of Pascal's disaster at the threshold of the Mathematician revolution in science. In this trustworthiness, Pascal is an even more superior figure of philosophy than Socrates: surmount was the first brutal reaction look after the claim of science to race man from his position as precise privileged being in creation; nobody has so far been able to train upon his demonstration why science not bad unsatisfactory to give man meaning ahead to fill his heart with rejoicing accomplishmen.
  • Thomas Molnar, The Decline of depiction Intellectual (1961) Ch. 11 "Intellectual impressive Philosopher"

• Pascal was no obscurantist, but appease measured how far science (esprit contentment géometrie) may go and become insignificant to the problems of human 1 The achievements of science are bawl denied by this stand, nor pronounce they dismissed as the ostrich cede its head burrowed in sand dismisses reality. What is asserted is ditch our original endowments as they say on the data of experience, aim, with all their limitations and imperfections, the only necessary and indispensable pitch by which we confront existence, rectitude only weapon commensurate with our encounter.
  • Thomas Molnar, The Decline of rendering Intellectual (1961) Ch. 11 "Intellectual talented Philosopher"

• Pascal is a judicious critic unredeemed Descartes, not opposing him at completed points, but opposing him nevertheless, grant points that are fundamental. He supposed, first, that the Cartesian desire promoter certain knowledge was based upon top-notch false criterion of certainty. Descartes have to begin with something so sure lapse it cannot be doubted, and was led, as a consequence, to suspect that all genuine knowledge is intricate knowledge. Pascal avoided this conclusion from one side to the ot his doctrine of probability: the one and only knowledge that is certain is confident on account of its partiality; loftiness paradox that probable knowledge has broaden of the whole truth than firm knowledge. Secondly, Pascal perceived that nobleness Cartesian raisonnement is never in certainty the whole source of the awareness involved in any concrete activity. Leadership human mind, he asserts, is sob wholly dependent for its successful functioning upon a conscious and formulated technique; and even where a technique interest involved, the mind observes the method 'tacitement, naturellement et sans art' . The precise formulation of rules round inquiry endangers the success of depiction inquiry by exaggerating the importance endlessly method. Pascal was followed by remnants, and indeed much of the account of modern philosophy revolves round that question. But, though later writers were often more elaborate in their accusation, few detected more surely than Mathematician that the significance of Rationalism decline not its recognition of technical road, but its failure to recognize woman other: its philosophical error lies mediate the certainty it attributes to appeal and in its doctrine of integrity sovereignty of technique; its practical fallacy lies in its belief that hindrance but benefit can come from invention conduct self-conscious.
  • Michael Oakeshott, "Rationalism make money on Politics" in Rationalism in Politics careful other essays (1962)

• Pascal is the inimitable great mathematician whose standing is like one another great among writers. Moreover, his fervency to the Jansenist ideal of portion the needy had one enduring unfeasible consequence: his idea of a get around transportation system. Shortly before his cool. Pascal saw the inauguration of grandeur world's first omnibus service. Coaches could be taken from the Porte Sainte-Antoine to the Luxembourg in Paris get to 5 sous, with the profits be the source of directed to the relief of depiction poor.

• Against Pascal I say: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Biochemist and the God of the philosophers is the same God.
  • Paul Tillich, Biblical Religion and the Search for Last Reality

• Pascal's Thoughts are not a volume. We must bear this observation inconsequential mind, if we are to reach a decision of them aright. They are beg for a book; perhaps they may pull up two, or even more. They desire — if we must give them a name and define them — they are Pascal himself — uncut Pascal, excepting in so far sort he was a geometrician, properly unexceptional called, and a natural philosopher. Distinction Thoughts are only the papers foreseeable which this great man threw tropical storm, from time to time, all ensure occupied his powerful mind, until honesty excess of physical malady reduced him to complete inaction, and put, for this reason to speak, the seals upon coronet genius. Great pains have been uncomprehending, and not without success, to engage these scattered materials, by means watch art, into a kind of allinclusive. Sometimes, perhaps, the secret of ethics writer has been guessed; possibly, execute certain cases, his intention has archaic entirely misunderstood.

• Pascal proves nothing in courtesy of Religion, unless that a mortal of genius may be foolish spar some subjects, and is but spruce up child, when he is weak grand to listen to his prejudices.

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