| CODE | PHI3072 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Pascal's Pensees - A Critical Study | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Philosophy | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Despite being a brilliant scientist-mathematician and one of the most powerful intellectuals of the 17th century, Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) has been largely ignored as a philosopher, except for his famous 'wager' argument according to which it is more rational to believe in God than no to. The aim of the new unit being offered here is to show that there is much more to Pascal's speculation than that argument. The Pensees published after Pascal's death, recognizes the important of a wide range of human topics more often ignored by his 'rationalist' contemporaries. Pascal based his reflections on his own personal experiences, rejecting exclusive reliance on the intellect in the search for truth, and insisting that 'the heart has its reason, which reason cannot know'. The unit being offered hee explains and analyses the meaning and implications of this last sentence in the context of the work as a whole. Study-Unit Aims: - introduce students to the philosophy of Pascal; - encourage students to critically engage with the philosophical ideas of Pascal; - allow students to explore questions related to knowledge, metaphysics and God in the philosophy of Pascal. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - explain clearly the context within which Pascal thought; - compare and contrast the most prevalent theories of modernity (Cartesianism, empiricism); - critically engage with the Pascal's text so as to examine its presuppositions and contradictions. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: Specific skills: - independently read and understand the Pensees; - conduct independent research on the theories covered in class; - write short research papers on key issues in Pascal's philosophy. Transferable skills: - independently read and understand the Pensees; - be better equipped to discuss epistemological, metaphysical and other philosophical issues raised by Pascal. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Pascal, Blaise Pensees and Other Writings Anew translation by Honor Levi, with an introduction and notes by Anthony Levi (Oxford World Classics, OUP 1995) - Broome, J.H., Pascal (London, 1965). - Davidson, Hugh McCullough, Blaise Pascal (Paris, 1983). - Norman, Ford, Portraits of Thought (Ohio, 1988). - Hammond, Nicholas, Playing with Truth: Language and the Human Condition in Pascal's Pensées (Oxford, 1994) Supplementary Readings: - See under Blaise Pascal in the Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Joseph Friggieri |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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