Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal (French: Blaise Pascal; June 19, 1623 - August 19, 1662, also translated as Blaise Pascal, Blaise Pascal), a French polymath, theologian, philosopher, mathematician, physicist, chemist, musician, educator, and meteorologist. Pascal conducted early research in natural and applied sciences, made important contributions to the manufacture of mechanical calculators and the study of fluids, expanded the work of Torricelli, and clarified the concepts of pressure and vacuum. Pascal also vigorously defended the scientific method. Mathematically, Pascal contributed to two important new areas of research. At the age of 16, he wrote a paper entitled Projective Geometry. In 1654, he began corresponding with Pierre de Fermat to discuss probability theory, which profoundly affected the development of modern economics and social sciences. After a mystical experience of faith in late 1654, he left mathematics and physics and concentrated on meditation and writing on theology and philosophy. He was a staunch believer in the Jansen sect, and his humanistic thoughts were greatly influenced by Montaigne. His religious polemic work "Lettres provinciales" (Lettres provinciales) is regarded as a model of French writing, and his notebooks were compiled into "Thoughts" after his death.