Publisher's Synopsis
""Provincial Letters"" is a book written by Blaise Pascal, a French mathematician, philosopher, and theologian. The book is a collection of eighteen letters written by Pascal under the pseudonym Louis de Montalte, which were published between 1656 and 1657. The letters were written in defense of Antoine Arnauld, a French theologian who was accused of heresy by the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order.In these letters, Pascal exposes the reasoning and morals of the Jesuits, criticizing their casuistry, or the use of ambiguous moral reasoning to justify unethical behavior. He argues that the Jesuits' teachings are a threat to the Catholic Church and to society as a whole. Pascal's writing is characterized by his wit, humor, and sarcasm, which make the letters entertaining to read.In addition to the letters, the book also includes a historical overview of the Jesuits, tracing their origins and development as a religious order. Pascal's portrayal of the Jesuits is critical, but he also acknowledges their achievements in education, science, and missionary work.Overall, ""Provincial Letters"" is a significant work of French literature and a classic of religious and philosophical writing. It provides a fascinating insight into the intellectual and moral debates of seventeenth-century France and remains relevant today as a critique of religious extremism and moral relativism.1828. A society, which at one period extended its influence to the very ends of the earth, and proved the main pillar of the papal hierarchy, which not only wormed itself into almost absolute power, occupying the high places, and leading captive the ecclesiastical dictator of the world, must be an object of some curiosity to the inquisitive mind.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
