La Vie de M. Pascal, par Gilberte Périer : quels enjeux philosophiques ?
(2023) Revue Philosophique de Louvain — Vol. 120, n° 3, p. 327-355 (2023)
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Chukurian, Aurélien 
- Abstract
- (en) Shortly after the death of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) his sister, Gilberte Périer née Pascal (1620-1687), wrote La Vie de M. Pascal (The Life of Mr. Pascal), which is often viewed as an important part of the Works of Pascal, as shown by the custom of including it in the classical editions of his Pensées (Thoughts). However, we cannot fail to observe the ambiguous status of this piece of writing due to the relative value often attributed to it for two main reasons: the only function of this Life is held to be that of a preface to the Pensées presenting Pascal the man, and its account of Blaise is considered patchy. Following in the footsteps of studies that single out the many treasures found in this essay, the present article seeks to come to grips with it in itself and for its own sake while considering its possible interest for philosophy. Having clarified the history of its publication, the inquiry looks into two ways of viewing the philosophical issues found in the Life. Part one shows how it is possible to identify in the narrative Gilberte’s considerations about Christianity, meaning being-Christian or the essence of Christianity, by means of reconstituting the main aspects of the Christian life of her brother. Part two devotes attention to possible divergencies between Gilberte’s thought and that of her brother in the field of anthropology. Thus these two main themes, one pertaining to the philosophy of religion and the other to the history of philosophy, are to be understood as contributing to the inclusion of Gilberte Pascal and her Life in the field of modern philosophy.
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Citations
Chukurian, A. (2023). La Vie de M. Pascal, par Gilberte Périer : quels enjeux philosophiques ? Revue Philosophique de Louvain, 120(3), 327-355. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/271425 (Original work published 2023)