The Unlikely Comeback of Pascal’s Wager: on the Instability of Secular Post-Modernism

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Abstract

Pascal’s wager faces serious criticisms and is generally considered unconvincing. We argue that it can make a comeback powered by an unlikely ally: postmodernism. If one denies the existence of objective facts (e.g. about God or His relation to the world), then various non-theological considerations should come to the fore when considering the rationality of religious commitment and the choice of education for one’s children. In fact, we shall argue that, if one genuinely cares about one’s children, then – in many Western countries – one cannot consistently be both secular and post-modernist.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)337-348
Number of pages12
JournalPhilosophia (United States)
Volume51
Issue number1
Early online date8 Mar 2021
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V. part of Springer Nature.

Keywords

  • Pascal’s wager
  • Post-modernism
  • Rorty
  • scepticism
  • Pascal&#8217
  • s wager

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Philosophy

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