"Pascal's Wager (or Pascal's Gambit) is a suggestion posed by the French philosopher, mathematician, and physicist Blaise Pascal that even if the existence of God cannot be determined through reason, a rational person should wager as though God exists, because living life accordingly has everything to gain, and nothing to lose. Pascal formulated his suggestion uniquely on the God of Jesus Christ as implied by the greater context of his Pensées, a posthumously published collection of notes made by Pascal in his last years as he worked on a treatiseon Christian apologetics." wikipedia
In a simple application to choices
God exist God does not exist
living in belief of God 1. a meaningful life now 1. a meaningful life now
2. a hope of meaning life after death 2. no life after death
living opposing to the belief of God 1. a meaningful life possible 1. a meaningful life possible
2. no hope after life 2. no life after death
So the correct and safe choice is to live in belief of God, the fate is same (Blue) or better than living opposing to the belief of God. The critical difference of the later is red.
A bit on elaboration on the meaningful life living in the belief of God. Pascal's background is Christian, and a life of joy and charity is fundamental. That is in contrast to the belief that such life with ethical constrain is a deprivation.
Believing in God to obtain some meaning in life or to avoid Hell is merely paying lip service. It is akin to pretending to believe out of fear. Will God not judge on such blatant insincerity and intellectual dishonesty?
ReplyDeleteWhat if there is such a god who rewards ethical behaviour instead of blind faith? I could wager for God by living a moral life.
How can you be sure if you have placed your bet on the right god? Why not believe in every single god that have ever existed, just in case? Within the context of Pascal's Wager, doesn't it follow that we might as well be polytheistic, to cover all basis?
What if the Islamic God does indeed exist, and all kuffar (including Christians) will be banished to hell for not accepting Mohammed as His prophet?
This video is relevant to the topic in discussion
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZpJ7yUPwdU
This is a good opportunity for us to view Pascal's wager.
ReplyDeleteI will put Irrational"s comment in a list, add the one raised in wikipedia, and also the issues raised in the youtube. There will be some groupings for similar type, and then we will go on items by items.
Hope some others may throw in some perspective as well.