Pascal by Michael Moriarty -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover page Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Contents Preface Note on References and Translations List of Abbreviations Part I

1. Introduction

Objections to Pascal Pascal’s goals: his intended audience Argument and reflection Method Fragments and totality

2. Contexts

Family background Science Religion

3. The Uses of Philosophy: The Entretien avec M. de Sacy

Epictetus and Montaigne The supreme good The Christian perspective

4. Belief, Reason, Persuasion, Faith

The geometrical method Two kinds of intelligence Order Appealing to the reader Reason and authority Faith Custom and the body

5. Order and Disorder

Pascal’s arrangement of his materials Alternative theories The outline of the Apology

6. Futility and Wretchedness

Job and Solomon Futility History Politics, society, justice Tyranny Cognition Weakness

7. Reasons for the Irrational

Custom and the social order Power and justice Imagination, again Hierarchies of perception

8. Human Greatness

Mind and body Humans and non-human animals Knowing wretchedness Knowledge The thinking reed

9. Contradictions

Nature and custom Pyrrhonist moves

10. The Fall

Objections Alternative theological perspectives on the Fall

11. Self

Self-love Self hood Relationships Objections

Part II

12. Diversion 13. Happiness

The failure of Stoic philosophy The Sovereign Good The search for happiness Immortality Conclusion of Chapters 5–13

14. ‘The Plan of his Whole Work’

Part III

15. The Need to Seek for God

Atheists The hidden God The God of the philosophers and the God of the Christians The need to seek: (1) the lazy unbeliever and the honest doubter The need to seek: (2) calculating the odds Beginning where?

16. The Claims and Limits of Reason

Mysteries and miracles Limits of reason

17. Transition

Contingency The cosmic imagination Edges of knowledge

18. True and False Religions: The Singularity of Christianity

Christianity and human nature Other religions Knowledge of God through Christ The Bible Literal and figurative To enlighten and to blind Proofs

19. The Order of Charity

The heart (again) Order (again)

20. The Wager

Summary Objections Conclusion

21. Conclusion

Bibliography Index