Pascal''s Wager

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

List of contents

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.

About the author

Paul Bartha is Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He is the author of By Parallel Reasoning: The Construction and Evaluation of Analogical Arguments (2010).Lawrence Pasternack is Professor of Philosophy at Oklahoma State University. His publications include Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Kant on Religion within the Boundaries of Mere Reason (2013).

Summary

This volume offers 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. This is the most complete and up to date collection on one of the most famous arguments in all of philosophy.

Product details

• Authors: Paul Bartha, Paul (University of British Columbia Bartha, EDITED BY PAUL BARTH
• Assisted by: Paul Bartha (Editor), Paul (University of British Columbia Bartha (Editor), Lawrence Pasternack (Editor), Lawrence (Oklahoma State University) Pasternack (Editor)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.10.2018
• EAN: 9781107181434
• ISBN: 978-1-107-18143-4
• No. of pages: 346
• Series: Classic Philosophical Arguments; Classic Philosophical Argument; Classic Philosophical Arguments; Classic Philosophical Argument
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > General, dictionaries; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Miscellaneous; History of Ideas, PHILOSOPHY / Religious, PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / General, Philosophy, RELIGION / Philosophy, Philosophy of religion, Philosophical traditions and schools of thought