Man And The Universe By Pascal

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Man And The Universe By Pascal

Pascal builds his argument in “Man and the Universe” out of a series of
paradoxes, seemingly contradictory truths. In writing, “Man and the
Universe,” Pascal reflected his views on what is our place in the world as
human beings. Pascal’s writing shows a harmony between mathematical certainty
and moral truths in support of his argument. In his “Pensees” or
“Thoughts,” Pascal hoped to integrate scientific progress with the notion of
humankind’s fallen state. Many suggest that Pascal is the “master of
paradox.” A paradox is an idea or situation that appears to contradict itself
but that is nevertheless true. The purpose of a paradox is to provoke fresh
thought and draw the reader’s attention. An example of a paradox is the
statement, “Less is more.” In addressing his point of view of the universe,
Pascal wrote, “I will picture to him not only the visible universe, but the
conceivable immensity of nature, in the compass of this abbreviation of an
atom.” Pascal reduces the apparently infinitely great and large to its actual
small position. Pascal uses this paradox to show the universe and its great
magnitude compared to an atom. The American Heritage Dictionary defines the
word, “magnitude” as “greatness in size or extent.” In mathematics and
physics, the term magnitude is used to describe the amount or quantity of an
object or equation. An example of this is the volume of a sphere or the length
of a vector. In chemistry, the atom is the smallest unit of an element. This is
a paradox because something great in size as the universe is obviously not the
size of an atom. When Pascal wrote this, he did not intend to make it something
literal; as in showing a comparison between the universe and an atom. Rather, it
was meant to be something figurative. In Pascal’s point of view, the world
(the earth) is an atom. The element involved in Pascal’s paradox is the
universe itself. Therefore, it is implied that the universe, or the
“element,” is composed of a great amount of planets, or “atoms.” Pascal
speaks to mankind, “let him view therein an infinity of worlds, each of which
has its firmament, its planets, its earth, in the same proportion as the visible
world….” It is implied that man has the knowledge that they are very small
beings compared to the greatness and vastness of the universe. Imagine man as
being as a grain of sand within the extent a desert. We are a grain of sand.
Composed with many other grains, we are able to make the d...

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