Lived 1623-1662. Born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. He was one of three children. His mother died when he was three years old.

Accomplishments and Challenges include:

A brilliant mind but poor health throughout his life.

At 14 years old he attended mathematics lectures.

At 16 he wrote a paper on conic sections which was thought to be the most powerful and valuable contribution that had been made to mathematical science since the days of Archimedes (287-212 BC).

While still in his teens Pascal invented a machine which would add and subtract. "This machine involved a set of wheels, each with the numbers zero through to nine on them. The wheels were connected with gears, so that a complete turn of one wheel would move the wheel next to it through one-tenth of a turn. This machine was of great use to his father—a judge in the taxation court—and to others involved in calculations. Although expensive to make and difficult to operate, Pascal's calculating machine was an essential step in the subsequent development of calculators and computers."(AIG-Great Creation Scientist:Blaise Pascal).

Became a commited Christian around 23 years old.

Made valuable contribution to hydrostatics and hydrodynamics.

Created Pascals Law from which he invented the hydraulic press and syringe.

Discovered many physical and mathematical properties of the cycloid. (a curve traced bya a point on the radius of a circle rolling in a plane along a line in the plane).

This led to others building on his work which later developed into calculus.

Invented Pascals Triangle to determine the probability of certain outcomes. His investigation on the theory of probability along with Fermat, another mathematician, became the basis for insurance schemes and other sciences including quantum physics.

Spiritual Life

In 1646, Pascal joined Jansenists. A group of catholics who believed as Calvin did on some doctrines including salvation by grace alone.

During his time of studying probability Pascal was attending parties where gambling was being conducted. In 1654, he almost died from his horses bolting while pulling his carriage. The horses were killed, He was not. Because of this near death experience, from age 31 til he died at 39 Blaise Pascal's desire was to point men's thoughts to his savior.

During this time he wrote The Provincial Letterswhich marked the beginning of Modern French Prose and the Book Pensee's which means thoughts.

Lastly, here is Pascal's Wager paraphrased (from AIG):