03-25-2004, 06:33 PM
Hi,
When taken at face value and unadroned with deceit, the wager makes a measure of sense, but only if one posits gambling as the framework for decision making (which to a certain extent all risk based decisions are), one assumes one cares what happens in the eternity after your mortal life ends, and one makes the statement without "mental reservation or purpose of evasion."
All true, but there is a more fundamental assumption one must make. For the question "should I believe in god" to make sense, I must first assume I have a control over my beliefs. I must believe that I can *will* faith.
Pascal was a pretty bright guy. His Pensees indicate that he was probably well aware of the difference between going through the motions of Christianity and actually believing. And they also indicate that he has a pretty good appreciation of the difference between having faith and wanting to have faith.
If someone asks, "should I believe in God", then it is safe to assume that he doesn't. To reply "yes, you should" knowing that it is not in the questioner's power is pretty cynical.
In the words of Clay Jenkinson: "I can make you a hypocrite, but I can't make you a Lutheran"
--Pete
When taken at face value and unadroned with deceit, the wager makes a measure of sense, but only if one posits gambling as the framework for decision making (which to a certain extent all risk based decisions are), one assumes one cares what happens in the eternity after your mortal life ends, and one makes the statement without "mental reservation or purpose of evasion."
All true, but there is a more fundamental assumption one must make. For the question "should I believe in god" to make sense, I must first assume I have a control over my beliefs. I must believe that I can *will* faith.
Pascal was a pretty bright guy. His Pensees indicate that he was probably well aware of the difference between going through the motions of Christianity and actually believing. And they also indicate that he has a pretty good appreciation of the difference between having faith and wanting to have faith.
If someone asks, "should I believe in God", then it is safe to assume that he doesn't. To reply "yes, you should" knowing that it is not in the questioner's power is pretty cynical.
In the words of Clay Jenkinson: "I can make you a hypocrite, but I can't make you a Lutheran"
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?