What is Pascal’s Wager? Does Pascal’s argument provide the right kind of reason to believe in God? Why or why not? Develop an argument to defend your position.
“Pascal’s Wager” refers to the argument by Blaise Pascal that human life is bet upon the existence of God, whether God exists or does not exist. From there, reason goes that, by Pascal’s Wager, the safer bet is to always bet on the belief in God: if God truly does exist, then those who erred on the side of caution will benefit, while those who did not will lose out. If God does not exist, then those who did not believe still get nothing, just as those who did believe will also get nothing.
Many cite Pascal's Wager as a good reason to hold, at the least, some measure of faith in a higher deity. Others criticize it as an insincere reason to believe in religion, finding the “better safe than sorry argument” to be detrimental to true faith. Personally, I have no issue with Pascal’s argument. I do not believe that it detracts from the sincerity of faith, as that varies on an individual basis .One of the reasons I myself continue to practice my religion is because of Pascal's Wager. I am perfectly willing to believe in the Divine simply because it does not cost me anything to do so. From my experience, I do not think my belief in God has been insincere, even if Pascal’s Wager is one of the motivations that pushes me from not believing to believing.
Even though there are many who criticize Pascal’s Wager as an illegitimate reason to believe in God, I think that many choose their faith for much the same reasons, especially those who convert to other faiths later in life. They are consciously choosing to practice a different religion and different belief system in God because they are choosing to believe that it is the proper thing to do, for their sake and for society’s sake. Believing in God because of Pascal’s Wager, reasoning “better safe than sorry,” is, in my view, very much the same, because one would be choosing a specific belief system and worship of God both for individual sake and for the sake of society.