Reply
Thu 12 Feb, 2015 01:02 am
Context:
PASCAL'S WAGER
The great French mathematician Blaise Pascal reckoned that, how-
ever long the odds against God's existence might be, there is an even
larger asymmetry in the penalty for guessing wrong. You'd better
believe in God, because if you are right you stand to gain eternal
bliss and if you are wrong it won't make any difference anyway. On
the other hand, if you don't believe in God and you turn out to be
wrong you get eternal damnation, whereas if you are right it makes
no difference. On the face of it the decision is a no-brainer. Believe
in God.
@oristarA,
The answer is "long odds", an idiom has long been used.
So the thread is closed.
Thank you for coming.
I have always wondered about "Pascal's wager" - surely, God, being omniscient, knows who really believes in him, and who is claiming to believe as a bet?
@contrex,
contrex wrote:
I have always wondered about "Pascal's wager" - surely, God, being omniscient, knows who really believes in him, and who is claiming to believe as a bet?
The illiterate or poor-educated, I suppose.
And criminals, most likely.
They know in their heart as a bet, not claiming it openly as a bet.
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace