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Joyful or frightening? A genius of mathematics or a saint?
The Blaise Pascal Mystery
The 4th centenary of Pascal (1623-2023) provides an opportunity to examine this unclassifiable figure in the intellectual heritage of mankind, who was by turns a mathematician, physicist, entrepreneur, polemicist, philosopher, spiritual writer of singular depth and sublime poet. From Clermont-Ferrand to Port-Royal, via Rouen, how can we grasp this personality who eludes all categories and was the subject of the most contradictory judgements? (This lecture is in English)
Laurence Plazenet is Professor of 17th-century French literature at the University of Clermont Auvergne, Director of the Centre international Blaise Pascal (IHRIM, CNRS 5317) and President of the Société des Amis de Port-Royal. An honorary member of the Institut Universitaire de France and a laureate of the Académie CAP20-25 ('i-Site Clermont), she works mainly on fiction between 1550 and 1700, the moralists, the relationship between Augustinism and literature, Port-Royal and Pascal. In 2023, in collaboration with Pierre Lyraud, she published the first scientific edition of all the Pascal works over the last 25 years, published by Bouquins. She was awarded the European Union Prize for Literature for her personal creative writing.
Blaise Pascal Week
Sands Films will be celebrating the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and spiritual writer Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) with events over three consecutive days days:
Tuesday 26th March: FILM SCREENING of Roberto Rossellini's film
Wednesday 27th March: LECTURE by Prof. Laurence Plazenet
Thursday 28th March: MUSIC performance
To attend this concert in person: click here to reserve your seat.
Joyful or frightening? A genius of mathematics or a saint?
The Blaise Pascal Mystery
The 4th centenary of Pascal (1623-2023) provides an opportunity to examine this unclassifiable figure in the intellectual heritage of mankind, who was by turns a mathematician, physicist, entrepreneur, polemicist, philosopher, spiritual writer of singular depth and sublime poet. From Clermont-Ferrand to Port-Royal, via Rouen, how can we grasp this personality who eludes all categories and was the subject of the most contradictory judgements? (This lecture is in English)
Laurence Plazenet is Professor of 17th-century French literature at the University of Clermont Auvergne, Director of the Centre international Blaise Pascal (IHRIM, CNRS 5317) and President of the Société des Amis de Port-Royal. An honorary member of the Institut Universitaire de France and a laureate of the Académie CAP20-25 ('i-Site Clermont), she works mainly on fiction between 1550 and 1700, the moralists, the relationship between Augustinism and literature, Port-Royal and Pascal. In 2023, in collaboration with Pierre Lyraud, she published the first scientific edition of all the Pascal works over the last 25 years, published by Bouquins. She was awarded the European Union Prize for Literature for her personal creative writing.
Blaise Pascal Week
Sands Films will be celebrating the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and spiritual writer Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) with events over three consecutive days days:
Tuesday 26th March: FILM SCREENING of Roberto Rossellini's film
Wednesday 27th March: LECTURE by Prof. Laurence Plazenet
Thursday 28th March: MUSIC performance