Included in this volume are fourteen of the fragments intended for Pascal's Jansenist-inspired defense of the Christian religion. Using the Chevalier edition, these are grouped to present a logical development of three themes, "The State of Man in Ignorance of God," "The Wager," and "The Christian Life." This translation closely follows the French text (cross-referenced with the paragraph numbers of the Brunschvicg edition) and does not conceal the fragmentary style of the original. Translated and edited by Arthur H. Beattie, this volume also contains an introduction, a list of principal dates in the life of Pascal, and a bibliography.

Blaise Pascal was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic theologian. He was a child prodigy who was educated by his father, a tax collector in Rouen.

Arthur H. Beattie is the translator and editor of Selections from The Thoughts, published by Wiley.