Pascal's Wager

Presents a comprehensive examination of Pascal's Wager, its underlying theology, philosophical influence, and role in contemporary decision theory.

Paul Bartha (Edited by), Lawrence Pasternack (Edited by)

9781316632659, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 18 October 2018

346 pages, 2 b/w illus. 65 tables
24.6 x 17.3 x 1.8 cm, 0.63 kg

'Given the importance of Pascal's wager, both intrinsically and in terms of its historical influence, this book is an important contribution to the literature.' B. T. Harding, Choice

In his famous Wager, Blaise Pascal (1623–62) offers the reader an argument that it is rational to strive to believe in God. Philosophical debates about this classic argument have continued until our own times. This volume provides a comprehensive examination of Pascal's Wager, including its theological framework, its place in the history of philosophy, and its importance to contemporary decision theory. The volume starts with a valuable primer on infinity and decision theory for students and non-specialists. A sequence of chapters then examines topics including the Wager's underlying theology, its influence on later philosophical figures, and contemporary analyses of the Wager including Alan Hájek's challenge to its validity, the many gods objection, and the ethics of belief. The final five chapters explore various ways in which the Wager has inspired contemporary decision theory, including questions related to infinite utility, imprecise probabilities, and infinitesimals.

Introduction Paul Bartha and Lawrence Pasternack
Part I. Historical Context and Influence: 1. Pascal's Wager and the origins of decision theory: decision-making by real decision-makers James Franklin
2. The Wager and Pascal's theology William Wood
3. Pascal's Wager and the ethics for inquiry about God Paul Moser
4. Pascal and his Wager in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Adam Buben
5. The Wager and William James Jeff Jordan
Part II. Assessment: 6. The (in)validity of Pascal's Wager Alan Hájek
7. The many gods objection to Pascal's Wager: a defeat, then a resurrection Craig Duncan
8. The Wager as decision under ignorance: decision-theoretic responses to the many gods objection Lawrence Pasternack
9. Rationality and the Wager Paul Saka
10. The role of Pascal's Wager in authentic religious commitment Joshua Golding
Part III. Extensions: 11. The arbitrary prudentialism of Pascal's Wager and how to overcome it by using game theory Elliott Sober
12. Pascal's Wager and the dynamics of rational deliberation Paul Bartha
13. Infinity in Pascal's Wager Graham Oppy
14. Pascal's Wager and imprecise probability Susanna Rinard
15. Do infinitesimal probabilities neutralize the infinite utility in Pascal's Wager? Sylvia Wenmackers.

Subject Areas: Philosophy of religion [HRAB], Western philosophy: c 1600 to c 1900 [HPCD]