Presents a comprehensive examination of Pascal's Wager, its underlying theology, philosophical influence, and role in contemporary decision theory.
Introduction Paul Bartha and Lawrence Pasternack; Part I. Historical Context and Influence: 1. Pascal's Wager and the origins of decision theory: decision-making by real decision-makers James Franklin; 2. The Wager and Pascal's theology William Wood; 3. Pascal's Wager and the ethics for inquiry about God Paul Moser; 4. Pascal and his Wager in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Adam Buben; 5. The Wager and William James Jeff Jordan; Part II. Assessment: 6. The (in)validity of Pascal's Wager Alan Hájek; 7. The many gods objection to Pascal's Wager: a defeat, then a resurrection Craig Duncan; 8. The Wager as decision under ignorance: decision-theoretic responses to the many gods objection Lawrence Pasternack; 9. Rationality and the Wager Paul Saka; 10. The role of Pascal's Wager in authentic religious commitment Joshua Golding; Part III. Extensions: 11. The arbitrary prudentialism of Pascal's Wager and how to overcome it by using game theory Elliott Sober; 12. Pascal's Wager and the dynamics of rational deliberation Paul Bartha; 13. Infinity in Pascal's Wager Graham Oppy; 14. Pascal's Wager and imprecise probability Susanna Rinard; 15. Do infinitesimal probabilities neutralize the infinite utility in Pascal's Wager? Sylvia Wenmackers.