University:
Manchester University
Course:
PSYC 110 | Introduction to Psychology
Academic year:

2023
Views:

16

Pages:

9
Author:

larbiwxcvbn

Pascal’s Wager Pascal’s Wager Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) “‘Either God is or he is not.’ But to which view shall we be inclined? Reason cannot decide this question. Infinite chaos separates us. At the far end of this infinite distance a coin is being spun which will come down heads or tails. How will you wager? Reason cannot make you choose either, reason cannot prove either wrong.” [Pensées, §418)] Pascal’s Memorial The year of grace 1654, Monday, November 23, day of Saint Clement, pope and martyr, and others in the martyrology. Vigil of Saint Chrysogonus, martyr, and others. From about ten-thirty in the evening to about half an hour after midnight. Fire. God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers and savants. Certitude, certitude; feeling, joy, peace. God of Jesus Christ. Deum meum et Deum vestrum. “Thy God shall be my God.” Forgetting the world and everything, except God. He is found only by the paths taught in the Gospel. Grandeur of the human soul. “Just Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you.” Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy. I separated myself from him: Dereliquerunt me lantern aquae vivae. “My God, will you abandon me?” May I not be eternally separated from him. “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and him whom you have sent, Jesus Christ.” Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. I separated myself from him; I fled him, renounced him, crucified him. May I never be separated from him! He is only kept by the paths taught in the Gospel. Total and sweet renunciation. Total submission to Jesus Christ and to my director. Eternally in joy for a day of trial on earth. Non obliviscar sermones tuos. Amen. Types of Religious Experience Public Sensory Object (1) Common: a common object experienced as supernatural (e.g., experiencing a dove as an angel) (2) Uncommon: experiencing a supernatural object (e.g., Moses sees the burning bush, Joseph Smith sees Moroni) Private Sensations (3) Describable: e.g., Peter’s sack lunch, Jacob’s ladder (4) Indescribable: mystical experiences Without Sensations (5) A mental seeing/experiencing (e.g., St. Theresa) [Richard Swinburne, The Existence of God (1978)] What do you think? Do you agree with Pascal? Is it reasonable to wager on God’s existence? Pascal’s Wager God… …exists. …does not exist. Believe (1) Infinite bliss (3) I’m still a better person. Don’t Believe (2) Infinite misery (4) No reward, no punishment. 1/2(∞+5) = ∞ bliss 1/2(∞+0) = ∞ misery Pascal’s Wager Heads Choose Heads (1) Win $100 Choose Tails (2) Lose $100 Tails (3) Win $2. ½(100+2) = +$51 (4) No win, no loss. ½(-100+0) = -$50 Extra Hypotheses Wagering Just Once Heads / Tails Choose correctly Choose incorrectly (1) Win $10 million (2) Lose $1 million (or 20 years labor) With multiple plays, you will win on average $9 million per play. But: If you were allowed to play just once, would you play?