Advertisement
Advertisement
Pascal's wager
noun
- the argument put forth by Blaise Pascal that it is in one's best interest to believe in the existence of God, as it is a rational assumption and does no harm, and the possibility of eternal punishment in hell outweighs any advantage of believing otherwise.
Pascal's wager
noun
- philosophy the argument that it is in one's rational self-interest to act as if God exists, since the infinite punishments of hell, provided they have a positive probability, however small, outweigh any countervailing advantage
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of Pascal's wager1
First recorded in 1895–1900; named after Pascal, who formulated his proposition in his Pensées ( def )
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of Pascal's wager1
C17: named after Blaise Pascal
Advertisement
Word of the Day
[fur-kin ]
Meaning and examplesStart each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!
By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse