Neither Angel nor Beast

The Life and Work of Blaise Pascal

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Religious
Cover of the book Neither Angel nor Beast by Francis X.J. Coleman, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Francis X.J. Coleman ISBN: 9781135980405
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: July 18, 2013
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Francis X.J. Coleman
ISBN: 9781135980405
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: July 18, 2013
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

Blaise Pascal began as a mathematical prodigy, developed into a physicist and inventor, and had become by the end of his life in 1662 a profound religious thinker. As a philosopher, he was most convinced by the long tradition of scepticism, and so refused – like Kierkegaard – to build a philosophical or theological system. Instead, he argued that the human heart required other forms of discourse to come to terms with the basic existential questions – our nature, purpose and relationship with God.

This introduction to the life and philosophical thought of Pascal is intended for the general reader. Strikingly illustrated, it traces the antithetical tensions in Pascal’s life from his infancy, when he was said to have been placed under the spell of a sorceress, to his final years of extreme asceticism. Pascal stressed both the misery and greatness of humanity, our finitude and our comprehension of the infinite. The book shows how his life, philosophical thought and literary style can best be understood in the light of the paradoxical view of human nature. It covers the methods of argument and the central issues of the Provincial Letters and of the Pensées; the Introduction places Pascal’s thought in the religious and political climate of seventeenth-century France, and a ‘Chronology of the Life of Pascal’ is also included.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Blaise Pascal began as a mathematical prodigy, developed into a physicist and inventor, and had become by the end of his life in 1662 a profound religious thinker. As a philosopher, he was most convinced by the long tradition of scepticism, and so refused – like Kierkegaard – to build a philosophical or theological system. Instead, he argued that the human heart required other forms of discourse to come to terms with the basic existential questions – our nature, purpose and relationship with God.

This introduction to the life and philosophical thought of Pascal is intended for the general reader. Strikingly illustrated, it traces the antithetical tensions in Pascal’s life from his infancy, when he was said to have been placed under the spell of a sorceress, to his final years of extreme asceticism. Pascal stressed both the misery and greatness of humanity, our finitude and our comprehension of the infinite. The book shows how his life, philosophical thought and literary style can best be understood in the light of the paradoxical view of human nature. It covers the methods of argument and the central issues of the Provincial Letters and of the Pensées; the Introduction places Pascal’s thought in the religious and political climate of seventeenth-century France, and a ‘Chronology of the Life of Pascal’ is also included.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Gender, Power and Organization by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book The Routledge Concise History of Canadian Literature by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book The Qur'an by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Economic Development and Reform Deepening in China by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Better Behaviour through Home-School Relations by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book John Cage by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book History of US Economy Since World War II by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Green Justice by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Power in a Complex Global System by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Goethe 2000 by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Theosis in the Theology of Thomas Torrance by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Women and the Labour Market in Japan's Industrialising Economy by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book The Internalized Revolution by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Psychiatry in the British Army in the Second World War by Francis X.J. Coleman
Cover of the book Newsgathering in Washington by Francis X.J. Coleman
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy