Pascal's Wager Explained

The philosopher whose "wager" is famously associated with the afterlife is Blaise Pascal.  

Pascal's Wager, as it's known, is a philosophical argument suggesting that when faced with the uncertainty of God's existence and the possibility of an afterlife, a rational person should wager on God's existence. 

Here's a breakdown of the core concept: 

~ The Options: Pascal presents two possibilities regarding God's existence and the afterlife:

• God exists.
• God does not exist.

~ The Wager: Because reason alone cannot determine which option is true, a choice or "wager" must be made through how one lives.

~ The Outcomes: The potential outcomes are analyzed based on whether one believes in God or not:

• Believing in God and God exists: One gains infinitely, such as eternal happiness in heaven.
• Not believing in God and God exists: One loses infinitely, such as eternal damnation in hell.
• Believing in God and God does not exist: One loses nothing or only a finite amount, such as the perceived restrictions or sacrifices associated with living a religious life.
• Not believing in God and God does not exist: One gains nothing or experiences a finite gain by living as one pleases.

Pascal's Conclusion: The rational choice is to wager on God's existence, as the potential infinite gain outweighs the possible finite loss. 

➤  Pascal's Wager suggests that betting on God is the most prudent strategy when considering the afterlife, as the potential reward is infinite and the potential loss is minimal compared to the alternative.