I don't think it's in the Pensées and I'm ashamed to admit that I've
only read him second hand or in quotation (see Black Swan, Nicholas
Taleb). It is his Gaming Theory which is notorious for his proof that
it is better to believe in God than to be an atheist because, simply,
if you are wrong, it doesn't matter and if you are right then
benefits accrue.
I used to think that was a bit cynical but now I understand that it
is simply a statement in probability.
I like his basic gaming theory because it challenges the problem of
polarity. If you have two variables, you don't have two choices - you
have four.
There is that old Machiavellian comment that 'the enemy of my enemy
is my friend'. A nice point in strategy but Pascal would have pointed
out that he might still be just another enemy of mine as well, or
both enemy and friend at different points or completely unconcerned
by my fate. Yes, I know that it misses the point a bit but this is
maths, not politics. It begins to sound a bit Donald Rumsfeld at this
point (known knowns, known unknowns, unknown knowns, unknown unknowns
- yes, I'm afraid it makes sense, it works and military strategists
use it. I'll unpack them if you like).
He would respond to two variables by drawing up a four square grid
with / Yes / No / Yes AND No / NEITHER yes NOR no / in the squares.
The the values of each position could be calculated.
The problem with polar thinking is that we forget the other two
choices - we come to a fork in the road and assume that there are two
choices, left or right. But we also have the choices of turning
around and going back - or staying where we are setting up a hot dog
stand to serve others trying to make up their minds.
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 10/10/2009, at 9:51 AM, Fernando Gonzalez Gentile wrote:
> ROTFLOL !
>
> It's been twelve years since I read his Pensées in Spanish, now I have
> it in French - but I'm clueless on where Pascal wrote that.
>
> Maybe you can help me to find into which chapter :-) - since you're
> quoting in English, it becomes more difficult to use the Find command
> in AcobatReader ... and I may even be searching into a different book
> ... :-)
>
> I.
> ORDRE.................................................................
> ......................................................................
> ........................
> 3
> II
> VANITÉ................................................................
> ......................................................................
> .......................
> 4
> III.
> MISÈRE................................................................
> ......................................................................
> ...................
> 10
> IV.
> ENNUI.................................................................
> ......................................................................
> ....................
> 14
> V. RAISONS DES
> EFFETS................................................................
> ................................................................
> 14
> VI.
> GRANDEUR .............................................................
> ......................................................................
> ..............
> 17
> VII.
> CONTRARIÉTÉS..........................................................
> ......................................................................
> ........
> 19
> VIII. DIVERTISSEMENT
> ......................................................................
> ............................................................
> 23
> IX.
> PHILOSOPHES...........................................................
> ......................................................................
> ............
> 27
> X. LE SOUVERAIN BIEN
> ......................................................................
> ...........................................................
> 28
> XI. A. P.
> R.....................................................................
> ......................................................................
> .................
> 29
> XII.
> COMMENCEMENT..........................................................
> ......................................................................
> ....
> 31
> XIII. SOUMISSION ET USAGE DE LA
> RAISON................................................................
> .............................
> 33
> XIV.
> EXCELLENCE............................................................
> ......................................................................
> .........
> 35
> XV.
> TRANSITION............................................................
> ......................................................................
> ............
> 35
> XV bis. LA NATURE EST
> CORROMPUE.............................................................
> ............................................
> 40
> XVI. FAUSSETÉ DES AUTRES
> RELIGIONS.............................................................
> ......................................
> 40
> XVII. RENDRE LA RELIGION
> AIMABLE...............................................................
> ........................................
> 42
> XVIII.
> FONDEMENTS............................................................
> ......................................................................
> .....
> 43
> XIX. LOI
> FIGURATIVE............................................................
> ......................................................................
> ...
> 45
> XX.
> RABBINAGE ............................................................
> ......................................................................
> ............
> 52
> XXI.
> PERPÉTUITÉ............................................................
> ......................................................................
> ...........
> 53
> XXII. PREUVES DE
> MOISE.................................................................
> .............................................................
> 55
> XXIII. PREUVES DE
> JÉSUS-
> CHRIST................................................................
> ...............................................
> 56
> XXIV.
> PROPHÉTIES............................................................
> ......................................................................
> ........
> 59
> XXV. FIGURES
> PARTICULIÈRES.........................................................
> ..........................................................
> 62
> XXVI. MORALE
> CHRÉTIENNE............................................................
> ...........................................................
> 62
> XXVII. CONCLUSION
> ......................................................................
> ................................................................
> 65
>
> Fernando.
>
> 2009/10/9 Andrew Fildes <afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>
>> You can blame Blaise Pascal for that one.
>> Andrew Fildes
>> afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> --
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