[HM] Pascal (was: Bieberbach)
Samuel S. Kutler (s-kutler@sjca.edu)
Sat, 16 Oct 1999 08:52:29 +0100
> Why should one expect a correlation between morals and scientific
> achievements? I don't have the "Pensees" at hand but I think that I
> am repeating Pascal's idea if I say that the scientist is guided in
> his work by generally agreed upon axioms of his science. But when
> it comes to the moral sphere things are far stickier. Here the person
> good at following axioms may be completely at sea.
Abe & all:
Perhaps you are referring to Pascal's distinction between the mathematical
esprit (de geometrie) and the esprit de finesse.
Just because one is good at drawing conclusions from a narrow collection of
principles, does not mean that one is good at seeing the rest of the world
in all of its complexity.
Best wishes,
Sam Kutler