God is, or He is not. But to which side shall we incline? Reason can decide nothing here. There is an infinite chaos which separates us. A game is being played at the extremity of this infinite distance where heads or tails will turn up. What will you wager?... If you win, you win everything; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He is.

Dieu est ou il n’est pas. Mais de quel côté pencherons-nous ? La raison n’y peut rien déterminer; il y a un chaos infini qui nous sépare. Il se joue un jeu, à l’extrémité de cette distance infinie, où il arrivera croix ou pile. Que gagerez-vous?...: si vous gagnez vous gagnez tout, et si vous perdez vous ne perdez rien : gagez donc qu'il est sans hésiter.

Blaise Pascal

Pensées

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More information about this quote

Topic

Existence of God God Probability

Author

Blaise Pascal

Source

Pensées

Medium

Epigram

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

French

Time

1662 1660s 17th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

France Europe

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Pascal, Blaise. Pensées [Thoughts]. Paris: Chez G. Desprez, 1670, no. 229.

Current Citation

Pascal, Blaise. "Pensées." Pensées and Other Writings, edited by Anthony Levi, translated by Honor Levi. Oxford University Press, 2008, no. 229.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Blaise Pascal about existence of god: “God is, or He is not. But to which side shall we incline? Reason…”
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A quote by Blaise Pascal about existence of god: “God is, or He is not. But to which side shall we incline? Reason…”
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A quote by Blaise Pascal about existence of god: “God is, or He is not. But to which side shall we incline? Reason…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Blaise Pascal

Things are always at their best in their beginning.

Blaise Pascal

More information about this quote
Topic
Things get worse

Author

Blaise Pascal
Statement Type
Precepts and axioms
Language
French
Time
1656 1650s 17th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Pascal, Blaise [published as Louis de Montalte]. "February 25, 1656." Les Provinciales ou Les Lettres Escrites [The Provincial Letters]. c. 1657, letter 4.

Another quote from the 1660s

Long is the way
And hard, that out of Hell leads up to Light.

John Milton

Paradise Lost

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More information about this quote
Topic
Redemption Salvation Hell

Author

John Milton
Source
Paradise Lost
Medium
Poem
Genre
Epic poem Religious literature
Language
English
Time
1667 1660s 17th century
Era
European Renaissance
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Milton, John. Paradise Lost. London: Samuel Simmons, 1667, bk. 2, I. 432.

Current Citation

"Paradise Lost." John Milton: Major Works, edited by Stephen Orgel and Jonathan Goldberg. Oxford University Press, 2008, bk. 2, I. 432.

Another quote about God

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM".

Exodus 3:14

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More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of God God
Source
Exodus The Bible
Medium
Scripture
Genre
Religious literature
Statement Type
Boast
Language
Hebrew
Time
1405 BC 1400s BC 15th century BC
Era
Classical antiquity
Authentication Score 3
Citation

The Holy Bible, New International Version. International Bible Society, 1978. (Exodus 3:14).

Another quote from Age of Enlightenment

The hungry judges soon the sentence sign,
And wretches hang that jurymen may dine.

Alexander Pope

The Rape of the Lock

More information about this quote
Topic
Legal system

Author

Alexander Pope
Source
The Rape of the Lock
Medium
Poem
Language
English
Time
1714 1710s 18th century
Era
Age of Enlightenment
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Pope, Alexander. The Rape of the Lock. London: Bernard Lintott, 1714, canto 3, l. 21.

Current Citation

Pope, Alexander. "The Rape of the Lock." Alexander Pope: The Major Works, edited by Pat Rogers. Oxford University Press, 2009, canto 3, I. 21.

Another quote originally in French

The great mystery is not that we should have been thrown down here at random between the profusion of matter and that of the stars; it is that from our very prison we should draw, from our own selves, images powerful enough to deny our nothingness.

Andre Malraux

More information about this quote
Topic
The human condition
Speaker
Walter

Author

Andre Malraux
Source
The Walnut Trees of Altenburg
Medium
Novel
Language
French
Time
1943 1940s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Malraux, Andre. Les Noyers de l'Altenburg [The Walnut Trees of Altenburg]. Gallimard, c. 1948.