Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher. As a child prodigy educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen, Pascal, as a scientific method advocate, made foundational contributions to the study of fluids, and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum.
Biographical Overview
Born in France, 1623-1662
Mathematician
Founder of Pascal’s Wager, Pascal’s Triangle, Pascal’s Law, Pascal’s Theorem
Worldview
Using a biblical worldview perspective, Pascual successfully used the scientific method to investigate the laws of nature, His worldview is notable from what he said –
“The greatest single distinguishing feature of the omnipotence of God is that our imagination gets lost when thinking about it.”
A crucial event of Pascal’s life and career occurred on November 23, 1654. Pascal lay in bed at his home in the Marais district in Paris when he experienced what has become known as the “night of fire.” He recorded his momentous experience on a sheet of paper, which he then inserted into a piece of folded parchment inscribed with a duplicate account of the same vision. This dual record, known as the Memorial, was sewn into the lining of his jacket as a kind of secret token or private testament of his new life and total commitment to Jesus Christ. No one was aware of the existence of this document, which was not discovered until after his death. At the top of the sheet stands a cross followed by a few lines establishing the time and date, November 23, 1654 between the hours of 10:30 PM and 12:30 AM, Pascal inscribed –
“The year of grace 1654. Monday, 23 November, feast of Saint Clement, Pope and Martyr, and of others in the Martyrology. Eve of Saint Chrysogonus, Martyr and others. From about half past ten in the evening until half past midnight. Fire “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob! [Exodus III. 6], not of philosophers and scholars. Certainty, certainty, heartfelt joy, peace, God of Jesus Christ. God of Jesus Christ “My God and your God” [John XX. 71]. “Thy God shall be my God” [Ruth I. 16]. The world forgotten, and everything except God. He can only be found by the ways taught in the Gospels. Greatness of the human soul. “0 righteous Father, the world had not known thee, but I have known thee” [John XVII. 25]. Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy. I have cut myself off from him. “They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters” [Jeremiah II.13]. “My God wilt thou forsake me?” [Matthew XXVII. 46]. Let me not be cut off from him forever! “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” [John XVII. 3]. Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. I have cut myself off from him, shunned him, denied him, crucified him. Let me never be cut off from him! He can only be kept by the ways taught in the Gospel. Sweet and total renunciation. Total submission to Jesus Christ and my director. Everlasting joy in return for one day’s effort on earth. “I will not forget thy word” [Psalm CXIX. 16]. Amen.”
