“If you gain, you gain all. If you lose, you lose nothing. Wager then, without hesitation, that He exists.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“If you gain, you gain all. If you lose, you lose nothing. Wager then, without hesitation, that He exists.”
Explanation
Pascal presents a rational argument for belief in God, famously known as “Pascal’s Wager.” He argues that if you choose to believe in God and He exists, you gain eternal happiness—the highest possible reward. If He does not exist, you lose nothing of ultimate value. Conversely, if you choose not to believe and God does exist, you risk eternal loss. Therefore, from a logical and probabilistic standpoint, belief is the safer and more beneficial choice, even if certainty is unattainable.
This quote comes from Pascal’s Pensées, where he attempts to address skeptics not with theological proof, but with a compelling cost-benefit analysis. Writing in the 17th century, a time of rising secularism and philosophical doubt, Pascal recognized that faith could not be proven by reason, but he believed reason could still recommend it. His wager doesn’t claim to prove God’s existence—it invites the reader to choose belief as the most prudent and meaningful gamble.
In modern discussions of philosophy and religion, Pascal’s Wager remains a highly debated yet enduring argument. Critics may challenge its assumptions, but it still resonates with those who seek a reasoned basis for faith in an uncertain world. The quote urges us to consider what is truly at stake—not just intellectually, but existentially—and suggests that a life oriented toward belief holds the promise of infinite gain, while disbelief risks immeasurable loss. It is, ultimately, a call to hope.
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