In his famous Wager, Blaise Pascal (1623–62) offers the reader an
argument that it is rational to strive to believe in God.
Philosophical debates about this classic argument have continued until
our own times. This volume provides 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. The volume starts with a valuable primer on infinity and
decision theory for students and non-specialists. A sequence of
chapters then examines topics including the Wager's underlying
theology, its influence on later philosophical figures, and
contemporary analyses of the Wager including Alan Hájek's challenge
to its validity, the many gods objection, and the ethics of belief.
The final five chapters explore various ways in which the Wager has
inspired contemporary decision theory, including questions related to
infinite utility, imprecise probabilities, and infinitesimals.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781316859384
Publisert
2018
Utgiver
Vendor
Cambridge University Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter