Pascal Didn’t Talk About Environmentalism, But He Would Have If He Were Here Today

Pascal Didn't Talk About Environmentalism, But He Would Have If He Were Here Today

Seventeenth Century mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, “Human sensitivity to little things and insensitivity to the greatest things:  sign of a strange disorder.”

Wow, I love that.  And it’s so true.  I have such admiration for this fellow that, if we had had another boy, I would have considered petitioning my wife to let me name him Pascal.  Pascal Shields — it kind of grows on you.

Be this as it may….exactly what Pascal meant by “the greatest things” is unclear, though he was very wrapped up in things like the unknowability of humankind’s purpose and meaning in the cold, dark and hidden universe.  Think of how little mental energy most people spend on things like that—or on the disastrous effects we’re creating on our environment–and how much we care about the minutia in our lives.

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One comment on “Pascal Didn’t Talk About Environmentalism, But He Would Have If He Were Here Today
  1. Steven Andrews says:

    Apparently we think of ourselves as the owners of everything, and that we can dispose of anything and everything; the thing is, there are “other” owners (as God gave us ALL the responsibility to take care of everything on earth), and as all of us are also owners, we are to be considered and even consulted on what to do with anything and everything. SO we come to the point: Who are we to dispose of anything and everything? Are we really capable on our own to decide on other peoples property?
    In the end, we have come to realize that we really can’t even take care of ourselves, if we are honest. We should be careful and try to be as respectful as we can because our existence on this earth is short and we have to leave the best world to our descendants and our neighbors. Do to others as you want the other do to you? Your rights extend to the borders of your neighbours borders. Clean energy is an example.