Ep. #20 – Retaking Pascal’s Wager with Dr. Rota [Interview]
Summary
Dr. Michael Rota defends an updated version of Pascal’s Wager. He responds to the classic objections to the wager and helps us see how to use the wager effectively in conversation. Also, Christopher Carter joins us for the quick tip segment to discuss the Men Living for Greatness Inner Circle.
Quick Tip
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Featured Guest Bio
Michael Rota is Professor of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota, and also a Program Officer for the Templeton Religion Trust. He holds a BA in Public Policy from Stanford University, an MA in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Saint Louis University, where he studied with Eleonore Stump, one of the world’s leading experts on Thomas Aquinas. He has published articles on metaphysics, the cosmological argument, the fine-tuning argument, the problem of human freedom and divine foreknowledge, the problem of animal suffering, and Pascal’s Wager.
Show Outline
Dr. Michael Rota describes his background in religion and philosophy. Next, he lays out Pascal’s Wager in its traditional form and updated form. Finally, he defends the Wager against multiple objections I throw his way. His responses are clear and insightful.
During the interview, I direct the following questions to Dr. Rota
- Can you give us a brief overview of your religious background and your interest in Pascal’s Wager?
- What is the structure of your book Taking Pascal’s Wager?
- How do you formulate Pascal’s Wager? How does this new formulation help avoid some big objections?
- One typical objection is, “I can’t force myself to believe something.” How does your version get around this objection?
- How does modern sociological data lend further support to your thesis in the book?
- How can we respond to the “Many Gods” objection?
- Why do you place emphasis on this 50/50 idea? Dr. Daniel McKaughan has argued that any nonzero probability of God existing could make someone’s faith in God rational. Can you comment on this idea and why you chose 50%?
- What is part three of your book about and why did you include it?
Important Quote
Rota summarizes Lim and Putnam’s results based on 2006-2007 data.
28.2 percent of people who attend a service weekly are predicted to be
Chaeyoon Lim and Robert D. Putnam, “Religion, Social Networks, and Life Satisfaction,” American Sociological Review 75, no. 6 (2012) quoted on p. 37 of Taking Pascal’s Wager by Dr. Michael Rota.
“extremely satisfied” with their lives, compared with only 19.6 percent of those who never attend services. This result is roughly comparable to the difference between someone in “good” health and another in “very good” health, or the difference between someone withfamily income of $10,000 and another with $100,000. Given that health and income are the strongest predictors in the model, this association between attendance and life satisfaction is notable.
Resources Mentioned
Taking Pascal’s Wager by Dr. Michael Rota
Dr. Rota’s article on Pascal’s Wager for the Philosophy Compass Journal
