What is Pascals Wagner?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_… “Pascal’s Wager (or Pascal’s Gambit) is the application by the French philosopher Blaise Pascal of decision theory to the belief in God. It was set out in the Pensées, a posthumously published collection of notes made by Pascal towards his unfinished treatise on Christian apologetics. The Wager posits that it is a better “bet” to believe that God exists than not to believe, because the expected value of believing (which Pascal assessed as infinite) is always greater than the expected value of not believing.” … “The atheist’s wager asserts that in the absence of clear knowledge of what, if anything, will benefit the gambler’s hereafter, it is better to concentrate on improving conditions in the present.
Pascal’s Wager is saying “if you believe in God and he isn’t real, you don’t lose anything, and if you don’t and he’s real, you will suffer in your afterlife”. It then continues to claim that it’s better to believe just in case. It’s a ridiculous fallacy. It assumes only two positions, when millions of gods could be right rather than that specific one. In addition, there is a possiblity of evil god who torments believers and leaves unbelievers alone, equally valid.
Pascal’s Wager is the name given to Pascal’s position on belief; as we have no proof of God’s existence or otherwise, it would be sensible at the point of death to commit to Christianity rather than risk damnation. Pascal was rightly attacked for this position by th church, atheists and fellow philosophers. God has so far refused to comment.
