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...., Pascal, a budding mathematical genius (he invented the first digital calculator), was driving a coach on a bridge above the Seine when the horses pulling the carriage suddenly broke away and fell to their deaths. Because the traces had been torn, the carriage remained on the bridge, though half of it hung precariously over the river far below, leaving Pascal gazing out, literally, into the abyss. At that near-death moment, Pascal had a religious epiphany and, some say, existentialist philosophy was born.
what do you think, mr. asshat??
narg:
I realise that I have a past to break with--an accumulation of inertia, wrong, foolishness, rot, junk. A great need of clarification, of mindfulness, or rather, of no mind. A need to return to genuine practice, right effort. Need to push on the great doubt. Need for the spirit. Hang on to the clear light.
Thomas Merton
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.................However, despite his health problems, he worked intensely on scientific and mathematical questions until October 1654. Sometime around then he nearly lost his life in an accident. The horses pulling his carriage bolted and the carriage was left hanging over a bridge above the river Seine. Although he was rescued without any physical injury, it does appear that he was much affected psychologically. Not long after he underwent another religious experience, on 23 November 1654, and he pledged his life to Christianity.
After this time Pascal made visits to the Jansenist monastery Port-Royal des Champs about 30 km south west of Paris. He began to publish anonymous works on religious topics, eighteen Provincial Letters being published during 1656 and early 1657. These were written in defence of his friend Antoine Arnauld, an opponent of the Jesuits and a defender of Jansenism, who was on trial before the faculty of theology in Paris for his controversial religious works. Pascal's most famous work in philosophy is Pensées, a collection of personal thoughts on human suffering and faith in God which he began in late 1656 and continued to work on during 1657 and 1658. This work contains 'Pascal's wager' which claims to prove that belief in God is rational with the following argument.
If God does not exist, one will lose nothing by believing in him, while if he does exist, one will lose everything by not believing.
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Epiphanies are most often associated with religious awakenings. Although by definition they are a sudden intuitive leaps of understanding, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence.
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by definition they are a sudden intuitive leaps of understanding
yes they are
narg:
I realise that I have a past to break with--an accumulation of inertia, wrong, foolishness, rot, junk. A great need of clarification, of mindfulness, or rather, of no mind. A need to return to genuine practice, right effort. Need to push on the great doubt. Need for the spirit. Hang on to the clear light.
Thomas Merton
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I used to think an epiphany was a small pony, when I learned what it really was it was quite an epiphany for me.
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Quote:Originally posted by Achilles@Nov 9 2004, 04:37 PM
I used to think an epiphany was a small pony, when I learned what it really was it was quite an epiphany for me.
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goddammmit, i thought you finally knew what it was, but nooooooooooooooooo
narg:
I realise that I have a past to break with--an accumulation of inertia, wrong, foolishness, rot, junk. A great need of clarification, of mindfulness, or rather, of no mind. A need to return to genuine practice, right effort. Need to push on the great doubt. Need for the spirit. Hang on to the clear light.
Thomas Merton
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Quote:Originally posted by Achilles@Nov 9 2004, 04:56 PM
If I figger it out, will that be an epiphany?
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for me it will be
narg:
I realise that I have a past to break with--an accumulation of inertia, wrong, foolishness, rot, junk. A great need of clarification, of mindfulness, or rather, of no mind. A need to return to genuine practice, right effort. Need to push on the great doubt. Need for the spirit. Hang on to the clear light.
Thomas Merton
