Document Type
Conference Paper in Published Proceedings
Department
Philosophy
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
Recent scholarship has shown that the success of Pascal’s wager rests on precarious grounds. To avoid notorious problems, it must appeal to considerations such as what probability we assign to the existence of various gods and what religion we think provides the greatest happiness in this life. Rational judgments concerning these matters are subject to change over time. Some claim that the wager therefore cannot support a steadfast commitment to God. I argue that this conclusion does not follow. By drawing upon the line of reasoning employed in getting married, I explain how unstable considerations can provide a sufficient rational foundation for a stable commitment.
Recommended Citation
Antony Aumann, “On the Validity of Pascal’s Wager,” The Heythrop Journal, Online First DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2265.2011.00717.x