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Pascal's Wager is an argument in favor of believing in God's existence proposed by French mathematician, physicist, and founder of probability theory, Blaise Pascal (Craig,49-50, 54). The proposition is first seen in Pascal's posthumously published book Pensees.

Pascal's Wager is not an argument for God's existence; rather, it assumes "that logical reasoning by itself cannot decide for or against the existence of God" (Kreeft and Tacelli, 85). In circumstances where Theism and Atheism both present good supporting reasons, Pascal asserts we must make a wager.

If we choose to believe in God and are proved right, we gain a great deal. If we believe but are proved wrong, we lose nothing. However, if we do not believe and are wrong we lose a great deal; if we do not believe and are correct we neither lose nor gain. Thus, Pascal wagered that in these circumstances the most rational decision is to believe in God.

Works Cited

Craig, William Lane. Reasonable Faith, Chapter 2. Kreeft, Peter and Ronald Tacelli. The Handbook of Christian Apologetics, 85. IVP. Down Grove, Ill. 1994