I’ve recently become fascinated by 17th century genius Blaise Pascal, so I was delighted to speak to Graham Tomlin, the author of ‘Blaise Pascal – The Man Who Made the Modern World’ (a book which I loved!)

Graham Tomlin taught theology at Oxford University for many years and served as Bishop of Kensington from 2015 until 2022. He is Director of the Centre for Cultural Witness, the author of many books and articles, and the founder of Seen & Unseen.

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Get the book! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blaise-Pascal-Made-Modern-World/dp/1399807641/

Graham on X: https://x.com/gtomlin

CHAPTERS

00:00 What’s the biggest impact Blaise Pascal has had on the world?

01:10 Pascal’s early years

07:20 The religious makeup of Pascal’s family

10:21 Pascal’s health struggles

14:55 Pascal clashes with Descartes

16:14 “I think, therefore I am”

19:32 Pascal’s criticism of Descartes’ position

21:58 How these ideas still affect us today

25:49 The Infinite Pleasure Machine experiment

28:26 Do we value human life for evolutionary reasons?

32:22 Is it wrong to prioritise happiness?

38:44 Is ‘being yourself’ a good idea?

41:44 What even is ‘The Self’?

44:32 Pascal’s intellectual life in Paris

48:40 Pascal invents the Pascaline

51:58 The ‘Night of Fire’ and the Provincial Letters

59:59 How Pascal changed after his religious experience

1:03:08 What is Pascal’s Wager?

1:10:52 What is Pascal’s most important idea?

1:13:13 How can a God who hides Himself be benevolent?

1:16:37 How can young people learn from Pascal?

1:20:31 Find more from Graham

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ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION:

In a world saturated by social media and marked by skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and ADHD among Gen Z, young people are growing up in a landscape of chaos and contradiction. While protests swell in city streets and activists hurl soup at famous artworks to demand climate action, a quieter crisis unfolds within - the mental and emotional battles faced by a generation trying to make sense of it all.

The Next Generation is hosted by 20-year-old Elliot Bewick, offering a raw and honest look at the world through the eyes of those living in it. Bringing together insight from professionals and young people on the ground, this podcast isn’t here to complain or chase clout. It’s here to bend the arc of the modern world towards solutions, truth and a love for the beautiful adventure of life itself.