The Provincial Letters by Blaise Pascal (English) Paperback Book

Description: The Provincial Letters by Blaise Pascal, Thomas M'Crie The Provincial letters are a series of eighteen letters written by French philosopher and theologian Blaise Pascal. Written in the midst of the formulary controversy between the Jansenists and the Jesuits, they are a defense of the Jansenist Antoine Arnauld from Port-Royal-des-Champs, a friend of Pascal who in 1656 was condemned by the Faculté de Théologie at the Sorbonne in Paris for views that were claimed to be heretical. The First letter is dated January 23, 1656 and the Eighteenth March 24, 1657. A fragmentary Nineteenth letter is frequently included with the other eighteen. In these letters, Pascal humorously attacked casuistry, a rhetorical method often used by Jesuit theologians, and accused Jesuits of moral laxity. Being quickly forced underground while writing the Provincial Letters, Pascal pretended they were reports from a Parisian to a friend in the provinces, on the moral and theological issues then exciting the intellectual and religious circles in the capital. In the letters, Pascals tone combines the fervor of a convert with the wit and polish of a man of the world. Their style meant that, quite apart from their religious influence, the Provincial Letters were popular as a literary work. Adding to that popularity was Pascals use of humor, mockery, and satire in his arguments. The letters also influenced the prose of later French writers like Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Brilliantly written by Pascal, the Provincial Letters would not have been possible without the work of theologians from Port-Royal; indeed, most of the arguments Pascal deployed were already to be found in Arnaulds Théologie morale des Jésuites, something which led the Jesuit Nicolas Caussin to reply to Pascals perceived libel. Pascals main source on Jesuit casuistry was Antonio Escobars Summula casuum conscientiae (1627), several propositions of which would be later condemned by Pope Innocent XI. Paradoxically, the Provincial Letters were both a success and a defeat: a defeat, on the political and theological level, and a success on the moral level. Thus, King Louis XIV ordered that the book be shredded and burnt in 1660. The final letter from Pascal, in 1657, had defied the Pope himself, provoking Alexander VII to condemn the letters. But that didnt stop most of educated France from reading them. Moreover, even Pope Alexander, while publicly opposing them, nonetheless was persuaded by Pascals arguments. Just a few years later, Alexander condemned "laxity" in the church and ordered a revision of casuistical texts. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Author Biography Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen. Pascals earliest work was in the natural and applied sciences where he made important contributions to the study of fluids, and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum by generalizing the work of Evangelista Torricelli. Pascal also wrote in defense of the scientific method. In 1642, while still a teenager, he started some pioneering work on calculating machines, and after three years of effort and 50 prototypes he invented the mechanical calculator. He built 20 of these machines in the following ten years. Pascal was an important mathematician, helping create two major new areas of research: he wrote a significant treatise on the subject of projective geometry at the age of 16, and later corresponded with Pierre de Fermat on probability theory, strongly influencing the development of modern economics and social science. Following Galileo and Torricelli, in 1646 he refuted Aristotles followers who insisted that nature abhors a vacuum. Pascals results caused many disputes before being accepted. In 1646, he and his sister Jacqueline identified with the religious movement within Catholicism known by its detractors as Jansenism. Following a mystical experience in late 1654, he had his "second conversion," abandoned his scientific work, and devoted himself to philosophy and theology. His two most famous works date from this period: the Lettres provinciales and the Pensées, the former set in the conflict between Jansenists and Jesuits. In this year, he also wrote an important treatise on the arithmetical triangle. Between 1658 and 1659 he wrote on the cycloid and its use in calculating the volume of solids. Pascal had poor health especially after his 18th year and his death came just two months after his 39th birthday. Details ISBN1579100961 Author Thomas MCrie Short Title PROVINCIAL LETTERS Pages 210 Publisher Wipf & Stock Publishers Language English ISBN-10 1579100961 ISBN-13 9781579100964 Media Book Format Paperback Year 1997 Imprint Wipf & Stock Publishers Country of Publication United States Birth 1623 Place of Publication Eugene Death 1623 DOI 10.1604/9781579100964 DEWEY 271.5 284.84 Audience General/Trade AU Release Date 1997-12-12 NZ Release Date 1997-12-12 UK Release Date 1997-12-11 Publication Date 1997-12-12 US Release Date 1997-12-12 Translator Thomas MCrie We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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