1.4: Pascal's Wager
Read paragraph 233, in the section titled "Section III: The Necessity of the Wager". As you read, attempt to draw a diagram showing your various choices for belief, as outlined by Pascal. Because, according to Pascal, the fate of your eternal soul rests on your belief or lack of belief in God, consider following potential consequences: What if you believe in God and God does exist? What if you believe in God and God does not exist? By the same token, what if you do not believe in God and God does exist? What if you do not believe in God and God does not exist? Ultimately, the "wager" that Pascal proposes should make the potential consequences of the choice to believe or not to believe very clear. Further questions to consider: What do you think is the worst that could happen if you choose that you do not believe in God and it turns out that God does, in fact, exist? If God exists, why does Pascal believe that we are destined to suffer in this life?
