“All things can be deadly to us, even the things made to serve us; as in nature walls can kill us, and stairs can kill us, if we do not walk circumspectly.”

French mathematician and philosopher of the 17th century, Pascal is best known for his work in probability theory and the development of the Pascaline, an early mechanical calculator. His philosophical writings, particularly *Pensées*, explore faith, reason, and the human condition with a blend of rigor and poetic reflection.