Pascal's Wager

G

Gotholic

Well-Known Member
"Pascal's Wager," so-called because it was devised by the brilliant Catholic philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), is an apologetics method in the form of a wager aimed at getting atheists and agnostics to consider the possibility that God exists and that there is a heaven and hell. The beauty of Pascal's Wager is that it is an appeal to the chief God worshipped by atheists; their reason. Fr. Joseph H. Cavanaugh, C.F.C., explains in his apologetics handbook, Evidence for Our Faith:

Pascal addresses his argument to the typical man of the world who regards making money and amusing himself, not as a means to an end, but the real purpose of existence. Even if he refuses to consider his ultimate destiny, Pascal maintains such a man cannot avoid wagering about it. In practice, he must stake everything on one of two propositions, either (A) that there is a purpose in life (God made us for life with him); or (B) that there is not. Man cannot refuse to wager for by doing so he implies that there is no purpose in life.

Under one guise or another, human selfishness is always urging man to stake everything on "B." Pascal tries to show that it is far more reasonable--even from the viewpoint of self-interest--to stake all on "A." If you bet everything on "B" and "A" is the truth, you lose an eternal good. But if you stake all on "A" and "B" is the truth, you lose only a few temporal pleasures.
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What are your thoughts on this wager...?
 
Believed in A, wagered B, and lost everything, and am now back to A, and
B is coming without wagering anymore. ;)

EDIT:
That's about the pleasure part.
I've always been an A person, on the purpose part.

I don't know about the everything has a purpose, but I do believe people do.
 
I'll always wonder why so many theists assume that atheists have never considered the possibility that god exists. I have considered and dismissed the possibilty long ago. I find the wager to be another in an incredibly long line of nonsensical refutations of atheism. As the Missourians say, show me.
 
I firmly believe that everything of significance happens for some reason. We may not know that reason, but I believe it's there. I also believe that the reason is for God to know and to direct. For example, I do believe that my ongoing struggle with melanoma, a cancer I did nothing to contract, serves a purpose for someone, somewhere. My actions, reactions, attitudes, and choices during this time are having an effect on some person. I don't know who, how many, or what effect it may be having, but I firmly believe it's happening. (Peanut gallery: fire away.)
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
And have you considered the possibility that every time you are shown, you dismiss it in the name of maintaining your beliefs?
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Sure I have, have you?
 
And that leaves us exactly where we started out. ;)

If you're right, I'll be, umm, surprised (and damned). If I'm right, neither one of us will ever know. Believe it or not, that's one of the most common arguments I hear against atheism. "You should profess a belief so that if you're wrong about the existence of god you won't be damned." I do dismiss these people out of hand, they don't even understand their own faith.
 
I don't try to make the argument that belief in God covers your bets. That isn't belief.

I do weep for the many who will be lost.
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
1. I don't try to make the argument that belief in God covers your bets. That isn't belief.

2. I do weep for the many who will be lost.
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1. Exactly.

2. Please understand that I don't say this to denigrate or ridicule, but the only person that's for is you. If it makes you feel better, go for it. It means nothing to me. :shrug:
 
SouthernN'Proud said:
Yes, they made the choice. But it is still sad.
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why is it sad? I see nothing wrong with being your own person with your own beliefs. If you find it sad, then try to realise that the people you are feeling sorryfor probably dont want pity
 
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