Blaise Pascal
Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Catholic theologian. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father. Pascal's earliest work was in the natural and applied sciences, where he made important contributions to the study of fluids and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum by generalizing the work of Evangelista Torricelli. Pascal also wrote in defense of the scientific method. In mathematics, Pascal helped create two major new areas of research: he wrote a significant treatise on the subject of projective geometry at the age of 16, and later corresponded with Pierre de Fermat on probability theory, strongly influencing the development of modern economics and social science. Following a mystical experience in late 1654, he had his 'second conversion' and abandoned his scientific work for philosophy and theology. His two most famous works date from this period: the 'Lettres provinciales' and the 'Pensées', which was published posthumously. Pascal's invention of the mechanical calculator, the Pascaline, was groundbreaking and laid the foundation for future developments in computing technology.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Pensées
"Pensées" is a collection of philosophical and theological thoughts and ideas by a renowned French mathematician and physicist. The book delves into various aspects of human existence, exploring the nature of faith, reason, and the human condition. It also presents arguments for the existence of God, including the famous wager argument. The book is known for its profound insights into the human experience and its exploration of the complexities of belief and doubt.
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2. The Provincial Letters
"The Provincial Letters" is a series of 18 letters written by a philosopher and mathematician, where he defends his friend Antoine Arnauld, an opponent of the Jesuits, who was on trial before the faculty of theology in Paris for his controversial religious works. The letters mockingly criticize the morals and ethics of Jesuits, and the casuistry they used to justify moral laxity, while also debating various philosophical and theological issues. The letters are considered a masterpiece of French prose and had a significant influence on the French language.
