Difference between revisions of "Pascal's wager"
(explaining Pascal's logic in slightly more detail) |
(Some reworking, grammar, link) |
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| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
God either exists or not. | God either exists or not. | ||
| − | #If God does not exist and you do not not believe in God, you gain | + | #If God does not exist and you do not not believe in God, you gain nothing and lose nothing. |
| − | #If God does exist and you do not believe in God, you are condemned to | + | #If God does exist and you do not believe in God, you are condemned to hell for eternity; infinite loss. |
| − | #If God does not exist and you do believe in God, you | + | #If God does not exist and you do believe in God, you gain nothing and lose nothing. |
| − | #If God does exist and you do believe in God, you will receive an eternity in heaven. | + | #If God does exist and you do believe in God, you will receive an eternity in heaven; infinite gain. |
| − | [[Blaise Pascal]] reasoned that, given the relative gains and losses for each scenario, the only sensible course for a rational human being was to believe in God since the potentially infinite gains and losses which occur if God exists | + | [[Blaise Pascal]] reasoned that, given the relative gains and losses for each scenario, the only sensible course for a rational human being was to believe in God since the potentially infinite gains and losses which occur if God exists outweigh outweight any possible loss in a finite situation if God does not exist. This is true regardless of what probability one asigns to God's existence as long as some possibility is assigned. Pascal's wager as Pascal stated it is flawed within the context of [[Christianity]], because based upon Christian theology, mere belief in God does not ensure salvation. |
| − | Pascal's wager | + | Pascal's wager is also not geared for multiple competing god scenarios where various forms or selections of gods are given they may be mutually or partially exclusive. |
[[Category:Philosophy]] | [[Category:Philosophy]] | ||
[[Category:Religion]] | [[Category:Religion]] | ||
Revision as of 22:09, July 15, 2007
Pascal's Wager is a philosophical proposition which takes the following form:
God either exists or not.
- If God does not exist and you do not not believe in God, you gain nothing and lose nothing.
- If God does exist and you do not believe in God, you are condemned to hell for eternity; infinite loss.
- If God does not exist and you do believe in God, you gain nothing and lose nothing.
- If God does exist and you do believe in God, you will receive an eternity in heaven; infinite gain.
Blaise Pascal reasoned that, given the relative gains and losses for each scenario, the only sensible course for a rational human being was to believe in God since the potentially infinite gains and losses which occur if God exists outweigh outweight any possible loss in a finite situation if God does not exist. This is true regardless of what probability one asigns to God's existence as long as some possibility is assigned. Pascal's wager as Pascal stated it is flawed within the context of Christianity, because based upon Christian theology, mere belief in God does not ensure salvation.
Pascal's wager is also not geared for multiple competing god scenarios where various forms or selections of gods are given they may be mutually or partially exclusive.
