68 phrases by Blaise Pascal to understand life
The contributions of this important character have transcended through time and may have been influenced by him from the device where you are reading this article. Blaise Pascal's thoughts and phrases are based on his work in the natural sciences. Above all, they are important in philosophy and in the realm of theology.
Within the contributions of Pascal. we find the first digital calculator as well as contributions to the theory of probability. He left science to embrace Jansenism as a philosophy of life.
- You may be interested: "123 wise phrases to reflect on life"
The phrases of Blaise Pascal most representative of his thought
Next we will see the phrases of Blaise Pascal that bring us closer to his way of understanding reality.
1. Can there be anything more ridiculous than the claim that a man has the right to kill me because he lives on the other side of the water and his prince has a dispute with mine even though I do not have it with him?
In this sentence, Blaise Pascal refers to war as one of the great evils of humanity.
2. The king is surrounded by people who think only of amusing him and preventing him from thinking of himself. Because, as king as he is, he is miserable if he thinks about it.
A way of showing that the life of reflection, many times, brings uneasiness and a life with anguish.
3. The spirit naturally believes and the will naturally loves; so that, in the absence of true objects, it is necessary to stick to the false ones.
About the attachment or relationship that we establish with objects or situations that sometimes are not what we need.
4. Description of man: dependence, desire for independence, need.
For Pascal, man in essence is a complex and contradictory being.
5. Man has illusions like the bird wings. It's what supports it.
Illusions keep us on the road, it is important to update and recreate them, a man with fully satisfied needs does not evolve.
6 When we read too fast or too slow, we don't understand anything
On the exact matter that all things need.
7. Our imagination enlarges the present time so much that we make eternity a nothing, and an eternity of nothing
About the constant and intense use of the imagination in all aspects.
8. We do not possess the truth or the good only in part and mixed with falsehood and evil
For Blaise Pascal there is no good and evil as a whole, both polarities form the whole.
- Related article: "The 6 differences between ethics and morals"
9. It is miserable to know oneself miserable, but it is great to recognize that one is miserable
Recognizing weaknesses is important when it is done not only to ourselves but also to others.
10. No matter how much wealth a man possesses and no matter how great the health and comforts he enjoys, he does not feel satisfied if he does not have the esteem of others.
About the affective needs of all people.
11. When you don't love too much, you don't love enough
For Pascal love is determined by intensity.
12. Eloquence is a painting of thought, and for this reason those who, after having painted, add something else, make a painting instead of a portrait.
About the talent of eloquent people who create diverse scenarios.
13. In religions you have to be honest; true pagans, true Jews, true Christians
About the importance of tolerance and coexistence between various religious expressions.
14. For those who only yearn to see, there is enough light; more for those who have the opposite disposition, there is always enough darkness
The conditions are given for those who do everything possible for that to happen.
15. Who is unhappy because he is not a king, but a dethroned king?
Phrase that brings us closer to the disappointment of failure.
16. Morality is the science par excellence; it is the art of living well and being happy
The importance of morality for Pascal.
17. Any religion that does not claim that God is hidden is not true
According to this phrase, the basis of religion will always be faith.
18. Man is naturally credulous, incredulous; shy, reckless.
Pascal was very persistent in believing in the polarities of the human being.
19. It is undoubtedly an evil, to be full of defects; but it is still a greater evil to be full of them and not want to recognize it, because it is still adding that of a voluntary illusion
Recognizing the defects opens us a possibility towards personal development.
20. He who believes he is right among all things, the reason for things does not know
We will never know everything about everything.
21. Why is custom not natural? I am very afraid that nature is only a first habit, as habit is second nature
This phrase by Blais Pacal addresses the perspective that custom is a group of constructed situations that little by little become part of oneself.
22. Chess is the gym of the mind
Related to the processes that this entails.
23. Man is always ready to deny everything that he does not understand
It is an easier way but one that leads us to mediocrity.
24. What is man within nature? Nothing with respect to infinity. Everything with respect to nothing. A middle point between nothing and everything
A peculiar way of demonstrating the position of the man within her.
25. It is better to know something about everything, than to know everything about one thing.
About the diversity of knowledge.
- Related article: "The 9 types of knowledge: what are they?"
26. Those who have the spirit of discernment know how much difference can mediate between two similar words, depending on the places and the circumstances that accompany them.
About reflection depending on the situation or context.
27. The best books are those that those who read them believe that they too could have written them
One of Blaise Pascal's phrases on the fascination of reading and how it can affect us.
28. Little thing consoles us because little thing afflicts us
In this sentence, Blasphemy, Pascal tells us about the superficiality of our dilemmas.
29. It is easier to bear death without thinking about it, than to bear the thought of death
About the anxiety that comes from thinking about death.
30. Conscience is the best moral book we have
About our own principles.
- You may be interested: "The 10 types of values: principles that govern our lives"
31. The queen of the world is force and not opinion; but it is opinion that uses force
The effect of an opinion has the power to influence some situation.
32. The reason is very weak if it does not understand that there are many things that surpass it
To accept the limitations of the rational it is necessary for it to work well.
33. Our nature is in motion. Absolute rest is death
The movement that allows growth.
34. Happiness is a wonderful item: the more you give, the more you have left
Happiness is shared, it is the only way to feel it fully.
35. Misfortune reveals lights to the soul that prosperity does not get to perceive
Only in misfortune can we have the opportunity to shine for noble causes.
36. Always being willing to be happy, it is inevitable that you will never be.
Grief makes us value happiness.
37. Nature has perfections to show that it is the image of God and imperfections to prove that it is only an image
About the complexity of nature.
38. Reason works slowly, and with so many aims, on so many principles, that at every moment it falls asleep or goes astray. Passion works in an instant
A reflection reminiscent of the theory of Daniel kahneman.
39. I only know two types of reasonable people: those who love God with all their hearts because they know him, and those who seek him with all their hearts because they do not know him.
This phrase by Pascal talks about the honest and deep search for knowledge.
40. Neither contradiction is an indication of falsehood, nor lack of contradiction is an indication of truth
On the midpoints that show us an honest expression of thought.
41. Of what use is it to man to win the world if he loses his soul?
Not all winnings represent a win.
42. We never live, but we hope to live; and always preparing to be happy, it is inevitable that we will never be
A reflection on expectations.
44. The art of persuading consists of both pleasing and convincing; since men are governed more by whim than by reason
On the effect of man on the senses.
45. There are only two kinds of coherent people: those who enjoy God because they believe in him and those who suffer because they do not possess him.
In both positions the existence of God is accepted.
46. The greatness of a man is in knowing how to recognize his own smallness
About recognizing his limitations.
47. By dint of talking about love, one falls in love. Nothing so easy. Nothing so easy. This is the most natural passion of man
To experience something you have to get close to it.
48. Know that man infinitely surpasses man
About constant evolutions.
49. Because you kill me? So what, aren't you on the other side of the water? My friend, if you were on this side it would be unfair to kill you and I would be a murderer. But, since you are on the other side, this is fair and I am a brave one. Beautiful justice, the one whose limit is a river!
Another way to deal with the problems that conflict brings.
50. Two excesses: exclude reason, admit no more than reason
All excesses harm us.
51. Man is full of needs; and he loves only those who can satisfy them all
Prioritizing what is most accessible.
52. Justice, strength. It is fair that the just be obeyed, it is necessary that the strongest be obeyed. Justice without force is powerless; force without justice is tyrannical; justice without force meets opposition, because there are always wicked; force without justice is unwanted. Therefore, it is necessary to unite justice and force, and thus achieve that what is just is strong, and that what is strong is just
A proper way to handle both elements.
53. Justice over force is impotence, force without justice is tyranny
About how to handle the force without the company of some value.
54. The last thing you know is where to start
It is difficult to find our north.
55. I have written this letter longer than usual because I do not have time to write it shorter
About the contradictory meanings of time.
56. He who doubts and does not investigate, becomes not only unhappy, but also unfair
Finding knowledge gives us a position in the face of diverse situations with property.
57. I'd rather be wrong believing in a god that does not exist, than wrong not believing in a god that exists. Because if afterwards there is nothing, evidently I will never know, when I sink into eternal nothingness; But if there is something, if there is someone, I will have to account for my attitude of rejection
Pascal's phrase that speaks to us on the certainty of your religious faith.
- Related article: "Types of religion (and their differences in beliefs and ideas)"
58. One of the main diseases of man is his restless curiosity to know what he cannot know
About obsessions that don't bring us growth.
59. Curiosity is nothing but vanity. In most cases, we just want to know something to talk about it
About a banal attitude about knowledge.
60. The heart has reasons that reason does not understand
Many times these reasons have pure and honest reasons. One of the most remembered Blaise Pascal phrases.
61. The selfish hates loneliness
Since he needs someone's company to reaffirm his selfishness.
62. Love has no age; is always being born
Love is always updating itself from experiences.
63. All the good maxims have already been written. You just need to put them into practice
This phrase from Pascal invites us to take action.
64. He is only truly happy when he dreams of happiness
Live for a noble dream.
65. Painting blind love is an unreason of the poets; it is necessary to remove the blindfold and restore the joy in his eyes forever
There is a love that makes us observe things honestly and transparently.
66. Man infinitely surpasses himself because he is always on the way to infinite fullness
About the process of constant growth.
67. Is haste the passion of fools?
The one that leads to wrong decisions.
68. Always being willing to be happy, it is inevitable that you will never be.
When we take the path to some vital stage, we can reach it at any time.