“There are two kinds of people one can call reasonable: those who serve God with all their heart because they know him, and those who seek him with all their heart because they do not know him.”
- June 19, 1623 – August 19, 1662
- French
- Mathematician, Physicist, Inventor, Philosopher, Theologian
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Quote
“There are two kinds of people one can call reasonable: those who serve God with all their heart because they know him, and those who seek him with all their heart because they do not know him.”
Explanation
Pascal defines true reason not by knowledge alone, but by the earnestness of the heart’s pursuit of truth. He considers reasonable both the devout believer who serves God out of knowledge and love, and the sincere seeker who, though lacking faith, hungers for the divine with humility and sincerity. What unites both is the authentic engagement of the heart—a disposition of seriousness, openness, and reverence toward something greater than oneself.
In Pensées, Pascal repeatedly emphasizes that faith is not the result of cold logic, but of a heart turned toward truth, guided by both reason and humility. He critiques both the apathetic skeptic, who neither believes nor seeks, and the proud rationalist, who demands absolute proof before engaging with spiritual questions. For Pascal, seeking God with sincerity—even in doubt—is itself a mark of reason, because it acknowledges both the mystery of existence and the limitations of human understanding.
In today’s context of religious pluralism and skepticism, Pascal’s view is especially compelling. It challenges both complacent faith and dismissive unbelief, calling each person to examine whether they are truly engaging their heart in the search for meaning. His quote reminds us that reason is not just about certainty—it is also about the willingness to seek, to wrestle, and to hope. Whether in belief or in seeking, what matters most is the authentic devotion of the heart to the highest truth.
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