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    Pascal's Wager: Philosophy and God

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    Brent Silby
    This document summarizes and discusses Pascal's Wager, which argues that it is rational to believe in God because the potential benefits of eternal life in heaven outweigh the costs of not believing and potentially facing eternal damnation in hell. It outlines the expected gains and losses of betting on God's existence or non-existence. It then discusses some common objections to Pascal's Wager, such as whether belief is truly a choice, whether it is rational to believe without evidence, and whether the existence of heaven and hell can be assumed. It ultimately argues that while Pascal's Wager may not prove God's existence, it provides motivation to seek further evidence and consider the possibility seriously given the high stakes involved.

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    Pascal's Wager: Philosophy and God

    Uploaded by

    Brent Silby
    247 views10 pages
    This document summarizes and discusses Pascal's Wager, which argues that it is rational to believe in God because the potential benefits of eternal life in heaven outweigh the costs of not believing and potentially facing eternal damnation in hell. It outlines the expected gains and losses of betting on God's existence or non-existence. It then discusses some common objections to Pascal's Wager, such as whether belief is truly a choice, whether it is rational to believe without evidence, and whether the existence of heaven and hell can be assumed. It ultimately argues that while Pascal's Wager may not prove God's existence, it provides motivation to seek further evidence and consider the possibility seriously given the high stakes involved.

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    Powerpoint for Philosophy of Religion class

    Original Title

    Pascal Wager

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    This document summarizes and discusses Pascal's Wager, which argues that it is rational to believe in God because the potential benefits of eternal life in heaven outweigh the costs of not believing and potentially facing eternal damnation in hell. It outlines the expected gains and losses of betting on God's existence or non-existence. It then discusses some common objections to Pascal's Wager, such as whether belief is truly a choice, whether it is rational to believe without evidence, and whether the existence of heaven and hell can be assumed. It ultimately argues that while Pascal's Wager may not prove God's existence, it provides motivation to seek further evidence and consider the possibility seriously given the high stakes involved.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    247 views10 pages

    Pascal's Wager: Philosophy and God

    Uploaded by

    Brent Silby
    This document summarizes and discusses Pascal's Wager, which argues that it is rational to believe in God because the potential benefits of eternal life in heaven outweigh the costs of not believing and potentially facing eternal damnation in hell. It outlines the expected gains and losses of betting on God's existence or non-existence. It then discusses some common objections to Pascal's Wager, such as whether belief is truly a choice, whether it is rational to believe without evidence, and whether the existence of heaven and hell can be assumed. It ultimately argues that while Pascal's Wager may not prove God's existence, it provides motivation to seek further evidence and consider the possibility seriously given the high stakes involved.

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    Pascal’s Wager

    Philosophy and God

    BRENT SILBY
    Unlimited (UPT)
    Betting on God (Pascal’s Wager)

    What do I gain if I win?

    If I bet on God existing: Eternal life in Heaven

    If I bet on God NOT existing: Nothing !

    What’s the penalty if I lose?


    If I bet on God existing: Nothing !

    If I bet on God NOT existing: Eternal life in Hell


    Overall strategy
    God exists: Expected gain = eternal life in heaven

    Expected loss = nothing

    God does not exist: Expected gain = nothing

    Expected loss = eternal life in hell

    I have one life to bet. What should I bet on?


    Objections to Pascal’s Wager
    Objection 1
    Why are ‘belief’ and ‘non-belief’ the only options?
    Why not include agnosticism?

    God does not distinguish between atheist and agnostic.

    Objection 2
    Why must I bet?

    You must decide on the IMPORTANT questions

    REPLY: But, you must decide important questions RATIONALLY. This wager
    is not rational.
    Objections to Pascal’s Wager
    Objection 3
    Pascal wants me to try to acquire a belief for which there is no evidence.
    This is IRRATIONAL.

    Yes, but:

    ) In trying to believe in God, I am not acting AGAINST the evidence because


    there is no evidence to show that God does NOT exist.
    ) Rationality is not good in itself, but only so far as it helps us to form true
    beliefs. Therefore,

    (I) Since rationality is of no help in forming true beliefs, being


    irrational doesn’t matter.
    (ii) If it is true that God exists, being irrational will help me form a true
    belief and so it is valuable.
    Objections to Pascal’s Wager
    Objection 4
    Not everyone will agree that infinite life is of infinite value.

    REPLY: Yes, but the wager will still work for most people
    Objections to Pascal’s Wager
    Objection 5
    Pascal assumes the nature of God and the existence of heaven and hell

    REPLY: Yes, but he doesn’t need to assume this; he only needs to


    assume that is is POSSIBLE that such a God and heaven and
    hell exist.

    COUNTER-REPLY: But it is also possible that God sends to hell all those
    who bet on God.
    Watch Pascal Wager Video

    What should a rational person do?


    Seek evidence…Read article on Near Death Experiences
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_death_experience
    Powerpoint by BRENT SILBY
    www.def-logic.com

    Produced at Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti


    Christchurch, New Zealand
    www.unlimited.school.nz

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