“It is incomprehensible that God should exist, and it is incomprehensible that he should not exist.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“It is incomprehensible that God should exist, and it is incomprehensible that he should not exist.”
Explanation
Pascal confronts the profound mystery at the heart of human existence—the paradox of God’s existence. He declares that both the affirmation and denial of God are equally beyond human comprehension. The idea that God exists overwhelms the mind with its vast implications: eternity, omnipotence, creation, and judgment. Yet the notion that there is no God is just as staggering, leaving a universe without purpose, morality, or meaning. Both propositions exceed the grasp of reason, revealing the limits of human intellect.
This quote comes from Pensées, where Pascal often grapples with the existential tension between faith and doubt. Living in the age of scientific discovery and philosophical skepticism, he saw that neither reason nor empirical evidence could conclusively prove or disprove the divine. Instead of choosing a side, he acknowledges the awe and perplexity of both views, suggesting that the human condition is one of perpetual uncertainty balanced by the possibility of grace.
In modern discourse, Pascal’s insight remains powerful in both theology and philosophy. Whether one is a believer or an atheist, the ultimate questions of existence—why there is something rather than nothing, why we seek meaning and moral truth—still confound us. Pascal does not offer an answer, but rather honors the mystery, showing that humility in the face of the unknown is often wiser than rigid certainty. His words encourage us to live thoughtfully within the tension, rather than flee from it.
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