Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Blaise PascalRead
Look somewhere else for someone who can follow you in your researches about numbers. For my part, I confess that they are far beyond me, and I am competent only to admire them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Pascal expresses humility about his understanding of numbers and mathematics, recognizing their complexity.
In this quote, Blaise Pascal conveys his feeling of inadequacy in comprehending the vast and intricate world of numbers. Rather than pretending to have deep insights, he acknowledges his limitations and instead chooses to admire the beauty and complexity of mathematics from a distance, inviting others who may grasp it better to engage with that field of study.
Themes
NumbersHumilityAdmirationUnderstandingKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about the limits of human understanding in mathematics.
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All quotes βIf we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.
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Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.
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Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.
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If he exalts himself, I humble him. If he humbles himself, I exalt him. And I go on contradicting him Until he understands That he is a monster that passes all understanding.
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What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?
Blaise PascalRead
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