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Писма до един провинциал. Мисли
B тoмa ca включeни двeтe (eдинcтвeни) xумaнитapни пpoизвeдeния нa извecтния филocoф и вeлик мopaлиcт Блeз Пacкaл: знaмeнититe, ocъдeни нaвpeмeтo нa публичнo изгapянe oт пaлaчa "Пиcмa дo eдин пpoвинциaл" - книгa, нapeчeнa oт Бaлзaк "бeзcмъpтeн oбpaзeц нa пaмфлeтa", oбpaзeц нa cъвpeмeннa peч c тoчeн, яceн и cтeгнaт eзик, c ecтecтвeн и нeпoдпpaвeн xумop, c язвитeлнa иpoния и виpтуoзнa пoлeмичнocт; и "Mиcли" - зaпълнили пocлeднитe пeт гoдини oт живoтa нa Пacкaл, бeлeжки зa пoдгoтвянoтo cъчинeниe "Aпoлoгия нa xpиcтиянcкaтa peлигия", ocтaнaли нeдoвъpшeни и публикувaни cлeд cмъpттa му пpeз 1670 гoдинa.
688 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1941
2 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Blaise Pascal
1,482 books832 followersEarly work of Blaise Pascal of France included the invention of the adding machine and syringe and the co-development with Pierre de Fermat of the mathematical theory of probability; later, he, a Jansenist, wrote on philosophy and theology, notably as collected in the posthumous
Pensées
(1670).
This contemporary of René Descartes attained ten years of age in 1633, when people forced Galileo Galilei to recant his belief that Earth circled the Sun. He lived in Paris at the same time, when Thomas Hobbes in 1640 published his famous Leviathan (1651). Together, Pascal created the calculus.
A near-fatal carriage accident in November 1654 persuaded him to turn his intellect finally toward religion. The story goes that on the proverbial dark and stormy night, while Pascal rode in a carriage across a bridge in a suburb of Paris, a fright caused the horses to bolt, sending them over the edge. The carriage, bearing Pascal, survived. Pascal took the incident as a sign and devoted. At this time, he began a series, called the Provincial Letters , against the Jesuits in 1657.
Pascal perhaps most famously wagered not as clearly in his language as this summary: "If Jesus does not exist, the non Christian loses little by believing in him and gains little by not believing. If Jesus does exist, the non Christian gains eternal life by believing and loses an infinite good by not believing.”
Sick throughout life, Pascal died in Paris from a combination of tuberculosis and stomach cancer at 39 years of age. At the last, he confessed Catholicism.
This contemporary of René Descartes attained ten years of age in 1633, when people forced Galileo Galilei to recant his belief that Earth circled the Sun. He lived in Paris at the same time, when Thomas Hobbes in 1640 published his famous Leviathan (1651). Together, Pascal created the calculus.
A near-fatal carriage accident in November 1654 persuaded him to turn his intellect finally toward religion. The story goes that on the proverbial dark and stormy night, while Pascal rode in a carriage across a bridge in a suburb of Paris, a fright caused the horses to bolt, sending them over the edge. The carriage, bearing Pascal, survived. Pascal took the incident as a sign and devoted. At this time, he began a series, called the Provincial Letters , against the Jesuits in 1657.
Pascal perhaps most famously wagered not as clearly in his language as this summary: "If Jesus does not exist, the non Christian loses little by believing in him and gains little by not believing. If Jesus does exist, the non Christian gains eternal life by believing and loses an infinite good by not believing.”
Sick throughout life, Pascal died in Paris from a combination of tuberculosis and stomach cancer at 39 years of age. At the last, he confessed Catholicism.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 20, 2013
Much like Molière, Pascal’s influence is probably best appreciated if read in French. His style, satire and wit are heavily commented on and, since I don’t read French, I’m sure I’m missing much of what makes Pascal influential.
Pensees is the skeleton of a book. Never published during Pascal’s life, it existed simply as scraps of paper until someone decided to compile and bind them. A collection of one-liners and short writings, in style they are reminiscent of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations or the Tao Te Ching. In substance, they are not that far off either. It’s not Stoicism or Daoism, but there is a stress on humility, escape from the trappings of vice and the dilemma of happiness. Of course, the most well known and best writing comes in Section 3, The Necessity of the Wager. Despite what we imagine the truth is behind our existence, he sums it up nicely. “Yes; but you must wager. It is not optional. You are embarked.” (Pensees, 233, pg. 80).
Toward the end of the Pensees the writing takes on a much more Christian orthodox tone. His dismissal of Islam and contesting beliefs in favor of Christianity lacks the self-reflective tenor of the earlier writings. Belief is no longer a wager, it becomes conviction.
The Provincial Letters takes up the second half of the book. Pascal writes in defense of the Jansenists against the accusations of the Jesuits. The letters attack the spurious causistic morality of the Jesuits and contain debates of finer points of Catholicism such as the existence of efficacious grace. In the time they were written, they may have been compelling reading on the esoteric aspects of faith but, not surprisingly, they are hard to get into today. Unless you are a hardcore Calvinist or something.
Pensees is the skeleton of a book. Never published during Pascal’s life, it existed simply as scraps of paper until someone decided to compile and bind them. A collection of one-liners and short writings, in style they are reminiscent of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations or the Tao Te Ching. In substance, they are not that far off either. It’s not Stoicism or Daoism, but there is a stress on humility, escape from the trappings of vice and the dilemma of happiness. Of course, the most well known and best writing comes in Section 3, The Necessity of the Wager. Despite what we imagine the truth is behind our existence, he sums it up nicely. “Yes; but you must wager. It is not optional. You are embarked.” (Pensees, 233, pg. 80).
Toward the end of the Pensees the writing takes on a much more Christian orthodox tone. His dismissal of Islam and contesting beliefs in favor of Christianity lacks the self-reflective tenor of the earlier writings. Belief is no longer a wager, it becomes conviction.
The Provincial Letters takes up the second half of the book. Pascal writes in defense of the Jansenists against the accusations of the Jesuits. The letters attack the spurious causistic morality of the Jesuits and contain debates of finer points of Catholicism such as the existence of efficacious grace. In the time they were written, they may have been compelling reading on the esoteric aspects of faith but, not surprisingly, they are hard to get into today. Unless you are a hardcore Calvinist or something.
September 26, 2013
The Pensees make up the first half of the volume. In general, I found the more philosophical sections to be of greater value to me than the theological sections. Many of the thoughts in those early philosophical sections took on the character of proverbs, practical axioms to live by. This works given the format of the work. The more theological sections struck me as fragmentary--the beginnings of arguments or ideas that had yet to be developed as they needed to be. This isn't the case all the time, but it gave the latter portion of the work less vitality.
The Provincial Letters were surprisingly comical, but only at that point where comedy touches sadness. Pascal spends most of the first few letters going back and forth to various representatives of competing theological groups trying to assess their rather obscure differences. All this only heightens the sense that theologians are completely out of touch with real life. Pascal's interjections to the absurdities he's hearing are amusing, though they never fail to make his very serious points. The rest of the letters involve his dialogue with a single monk, and then a broader group of Jesuits. These gentlemen have designs on undermining virtually any sinful practice, all by focusing the doctrine of sin on intentions rather than the actions themselves. Pascal is rightly horrified by such rationalizing, and responds pointedly to protect his own reputation, but more than that, to defend those who have been undermined by these misguided and probably wicked monks. The arguments get relatively repetitive by the end, but the letters are quite valuable for capturing a theological moment, as well as demonstrating effective means to craft a response to erroneous opinions.
The Provincial Letters were surprisingly comical, but only at that point where comedy touches sadness. Pascal spends most of the first few letters going back and forth to various representatives of competing theological groups trying to assess their rather obscure differences. All this only heightens the sense that theologians are completely out of touch with real life. Pascal's interjections to the absurdities he's hearing are amusing, though they never fail to make his very serious points. The rest of the letters involve his dialogue with a single monk, and then a broader group of Jesuits. These gentlemen have designs on undermining virtually any sinful practice, all by focusing the doctrine of sin on intentions rather than the actions themselves. Pascal is rightly horrified by such rationalizing, and responds pointedly to protect his own reputation, but more than that, to defend those who have been undermined by these misguided and probably wicked monks. The arguments get relatively repetitive by the end, but the letters are quite valuable for capturing a theological moment, as well as demonstrating effective means to craft a response to erroneous opinions.
July 14, 2012
It's an odd combination. In some ways Pascal is a modern thinker, saying that when scientific experience conflicts with Scripture, we must conclude that we have misunderstood Scripture. But the last third of the Pensees is devoted to how miracles prove the truth of Catholicism. It reminds me of Newton, a great mathemetician and scientist who devoted much of his later life to unprofitable speculations on religion and alchemy.
July 13, 2013
Needs editing. Some nuggets lurking
December 18, 2018
i've decided that i loathe the gnomic as a genre. not just this guy, but also la rochefoucauld, nietzsche, even adorno. barf. lay out a real argument or STFU.
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August 12, 2025Abyss embraces you.
September 9, 2016
First off I will admit I did not read the Provincial Letters part of the book. I had to get this through interlibrary loan and this was the volume that contained Pensees. I have read many quotes from Pensees and kept some of them. But overall, the many "thoughts" were drier than I had anticipated. It was written in the 1600's which is why it deserves 4 stars -- he was a very deep thinker for his time and I am sure his thoughts were well discussed by those who had the wherewithal to purchase a copy of his book. Interesting.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews