HoP 492 Changing By Degrees: French Scholasticism

How philosophy at the universities evolved in response to Cartesianism and the “new science.”

Arnauld’s attack on Malebranche’s theory of the “vision in God” leads to a nuanced debate over the nature of ideas.

What inspired the occasionalist theory embraced by the 17th century Cartesians? We find out from a leading specialist on the topic.

What led Malebranche to his notorious view that all bodily motions and thoughts are caused by God, with created things serving only as “occasions” for divine action?

We begin to explore Malebranche’s controversial development of Cartesian philosophy by looking at his theodicy.

Antoine Arnauld and Pierre Nicole update the study of logic to take account of the ideas of Descartes.

Antoine Arnauld combines Cartesian philosophy with Jansenism, one of the most controversial religious movements of the 17th century.

An interview on contemporary approaches to Pascal's Wager: where decision theory meets philosophy of religion.

Should we gamble on belief in God to have a chance at infinite reward?

Blaise Pascal was a pioneering scientist and deeply spiritual religious thinker; what united these two sides of his thought?