Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascalwas a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen. Pascal's earliest work was in the natural and applied sciences where he made important contributions to the study of fluids, and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum by generalising the work of Evangelista Torricelli. Pascal also wrote in defence of the scientific method...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth19 June 1623
CityClermont-Ferrand, France
CountryFrance
Parents fear the destruction of natural affection in their children. What is this natural principle so liable to decay? Habit is a second nature, which destroys the first. Why is not custom nature? I suspect that this nature itself is but a first custom, as custom is a second nature.
There is no arena in which vanity displays itself under such a variety of forms as in conversation.
If we regulate our conduct according to our own convictions, we may safely disregard the praise or censure of others.
The Church limits her sacramental services to the faithful. Christ gave Himself upon the cross a ransom for all.
The incredulous are the more credulous. They believe the miracles of Vespasian that they may not believe those of Moses. [Fr., Incredules les plus credules. Ils croient les miracle de Vespasien, pour ne pas croire ceux de Moise.]
The statements of atheists ought to be perfectly clear of doubt. Now it is not perfectly clear that the soul is material.
God is, or He is not." But to which side shall we incline? Reason can decide nothing here. There is an infinite chaos which separated us. A game is being played at the extremity of this infinite distance where heads or tails will turn up. What will you wager?
There are people who lie simply for the sake of lying.
Contradiction is not a sign of falsity, nor the lack of contradiction a sign of truth.
Earnestness is enthusiasm tempered by reason.
Nothing is as approved as mediocrity, the majority has established it and it fixes it fangs on whatever gets beyond it either way.
Man's sensitivity to the little things and insensitivity to the greatest are the signs of a strange disorder.
Man's grandeur is that he knows himself to be miserable.
Justice is what is established; and thus all our established laws will necessarily be regarded as just without examination, since they are established.