Pascal and salvation: reflections on the contours of a possible Pascalian philosophy

Chukurian, Aurélien [UCL]

This article sets out in what sense a philosophy of salvation can be discerned in Blaise Pascal's notes, known as Pensées. The aim is to characterize a twofold movement of thought accomplished by Pascal, consisting both in inserting salvation into the horizon of human concerns, and in demonstrating the operativity of the Christian religion in matters of salvation. We are thus led to consider the ways in which the theme of salvation emerges, from the study of the human condition in the light of the three classical questions of metaphysics, through death and the image of the castaway, to the immortality of the soul. Finally, the thread of salvation allows us to sketch the outlines of a philosophy with its own characteristics, giving Pascal a marked place in the history of modern philosophy.