Blaise Pascal: Philosophy and Human Nature

These flashcards include key vocabulary and definitions from the lecture notes on Blaise Pascal, focusing on his philosophical insights, contributions to mathematics, and reflections on human nature.

Blaise Pascal

A French philosopher, mathematician, scientist, inventor, and theologian known for his contributions to probability theory, existentialism, and religious writing.

Existentialism

A philosophical movement that emphasizes individual existence, freedom, and choice, often associated with the ideas of human beings creating their own meaning.

Game Theory

A branch of mathematics and economics that deals with strategies in decision-making where the outcome also depends on the actions of other players.

Pensées

A collection of Pascal's unfinished notes aimed at providing a systematic apologia for the Christian religion.

Diversion

Activities or entertainment that distract individuals from contemplative thoughts about their lives, often sought as relief from deeper anxieties.

Thinking Reed

A metaphor used by Pascal to illustrate that while humans are fragile and weak, it is their ability to think that gives them dignity and nobility.

Empiricism

A philosophical theory asserting that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience and is based on observation.

Jansenism

A theological movement within Catholicism that emphasized original sin, human depravity, and the necessity of divine grace for salvation.

Infinitesimal

An indefinitely small quantity that is greater than zero but less than any positive real number; used in mathematical analysis.

The Infinite

A concept that refers to something without any limit, often contrasted with the finite nature of human existence.

Hydraulics

The science concerned with the conveyance of liquids through pipes, channels, and systems, a subject which Pascal contributed to experimentally.

Human Condition

The characteristics, key events, and situations which compose the essentials of being human, often explored philosophically.