Pascal's Wager: A Practical Solution to a Dilemma

Pascal's Wager is a practical solution proposed by French philosopher Blais Pascal for individuals who cannot decide between Christianity and skepticism. When evidence fails to settle the question, Pascal suggests that practical reasoning may be employed. He compares the decision-making process to tossing a coin without knowing the outcome and argues that it can be rational to bet on one choice over another. In the context of choosing between Christianity and skepticism, Pascal proposes that embracing faith is the rational choice both in terms of this life and the next. While it comes with certain costs in this life, such as adhering to Christian morality, the benefits of believing outweigh the costs. Additionally, if Christianity proves to be true, one will gain infinite happiness in the afterlife, whereas if it is not true, one loses nothing as there would be no afterlife.