Happy Birthday...to Pascal

Today, June 19, is the 386th birthday of mathematician, scientist, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. His most famous work is arguably his Pensees (i.e., 'thoughts' in French), although it is unfinished and consists of many fragments that leave the reader wondering what direction Pascal intended. Nonetheless, merely by skimming through some pages you cannot come away without his attentiveness to the human person, which I think comes, at least in part, from St. Augustine (he is quoted frequently).

The following is an example:

"Truth is so darkened nowadays, and lies so established, that unless we love the truth we will never know it" (Pensees, XXXVI, 617).

This quotation is related to Book XXXII, section 18 in this Augustine work.

If one does not love the truth, then one will never know what is true. Pascal is saying, I believe, that the person cannot use only his/her rational faculties and expect to have complete knowledge of reality; the whole person, not simply one's rationality, needs to establish a relationship with truth.

The Humanities in Higher Education

Read this article about the decline of the humanities in "Higher Education."

Then, listen to this lecture by Daniel N. Robinson entitled "Higher Education: What Makes it 'Higher?'" Here's part of his answer, it is not rock-climbing walls. I intend to write something about the things he says, but I do not have time to re-listen to the lecture at the moment. But, since it is good and worth the time I will be re-listening to it. In case you think I might be wasting your time, view Dr. Robinson's biography and available lecture series.