Pensées: The Two Kinds of Mind, and the Thinking Reed 思想录：两种精神，和会思想的芦苇 原题：Pensées（法语） 布莱兹·帕斯卡 Blaise Pascal（1623–1662） 译者：W. F. Trotter（1871–1945），1904 年 写于 17 世纪 50 年代；1670 年出版；1904 年英译 冷冻图书馆 · 开架书库 · S-005203 · https://coldlibrary.com/s/005203 权利：写于 17 世纪 50 年代，1670 年出版；帕斯卡卒于 1662 年。译者 W. F. 特罗特卒于 1945 年，其译本 1904 年初版。已按澳大利亚、欧盟、英国、中国大陆和美国的规则核对（截至 2026 年 10 月 11 日）。仅供参考，不是法律意见。 来源：Project Gutenberg，https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/18269/pg18269.txt（取于 2026-10-11） 中文译文：Claude（AI），2026 · CC0 1.0 生成于 2026-10-14，来自 https://coldlibrary.com/open-stacks/pascal-pensees-the-thinking-reed ---- 1 *The difference between the mathematical and the intuitive mind.*—In the one the principles are palpable, but removed from ordinary use; so that for want of habit it is difficult to turn one's mind in that direction: but if one turns it thither ever so little, one sees the principles fully, and one must have a quite inaccurate mind who reasons wrongly from principles so plain that it is almost impossible they should escape notice. But in the intuitive mind the principles are found in common use, and are before the eyes of everybody. One has only to look, and no effort is necessary; it is only a question of good eyesight, but it must be good, for the principles are so subtle and so numerous, that it is almost impossible but that some escape notice. Now the omission of one principle leads to error; thus one must have very clear sight to see all the principles, and in the next place an accurate mind not to draw false deductions from known principles. All mathematicians would then be intuitive if they had clear sight, for they do not reason incorrectly from principles known to them; and intuitive minds would be mathematical if they could turn their eyes to the principles of mathematics to which they are unused. The reason, therefore, that some intuitive minds are not mathematical is that they cannot at all turn their attention to the principles of mathematics. But the reason that mathematicians are not intuitive is that they do not see what is before them, and that, accustomed to the exact and plain principles of mathematics, and not reasoning till they have well inspected and arranged their principles, they are lost in matters of intuition where the principles do not allow of such arrangement. They are scarcely seen; they are felt rather than seen; there is the greatest difficulty in making them felt by those who do not of themselves perceive them. These principles are so fine and so numerous that a very delicate and very clear sense is needed to perceive them, and to judge rightly and justly when they are perceived, without for the most part being able to demonstrate them in order as in mathematics; because the principles are not known to us in the same way, and because it would be an endless matter to undertake it. We must see the matter at once, at one glance, and not by a process of reasoning, at least to a certain degree. And thus it is rare that mathematicians are intuitive, and that men of intuition are mathematicians, because mathematicians wish to treat matters of intuition mathematically, and make themselves ridiculous, wishing to begin with definitions and then with axioms, which is not the way to proceed in this kind of reasoning. Not that the mind does not do so, but it does it tacitly, naturally, and without technical rules; for the expression of it is beyond all men, and only a few can feel it. Intuitive minds, on the contrary, being thus accustomed to judge at a single glance, are so astonished when they are presented with propositions of which they understand nothing, and the way to which is through definitions and axioms so sterile, and which they are not accustomed to see thus in detail, that they are repelled and disheartened. But dull minds are never either intuitive or mathematical. Mathematicians who are only mathematicians have exact minds, provided all things are explained to them by means of definitions and axioms; otherwise they are inaccurate and insufferable, for they are only right when the principles are quite clear. And men of intuition who are only intuitive cannot have the patience to reach to first principles of things speculative and conceptual, which they have never seen in the world, and which are altogether out of the common. 144 I spent a long time in the study of the abstract sciences, and was disheartened by the small number of fellow-students in them. When I commenced the study of man, I saw that these abstract sciences are not suited to man, and that I was wandering further from my own state in examining them, than others in not knowing them. I pardoned their little knowledge; but I thought at least to find many companions in the study of man, and that it was the true study which is suited to him. I have been deceived; still fewer study it than geometry. It is only from want of knowing how to study this that we seek the other studies. But is it not that even here is not the knowledge which man should have, and that for the purposes of happiness it is better for him not to know himself? 205 When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity before and after, the little space which I fill, and even can see, engulfed in the infinite immensity of spaces of which I am ignorant, and which know me not, I am frightened, and am astonished at being here rather than there; for there is no reason why here rather than there, why now rather than then. Who has put me here? By whose order and direction have this place and time been allotted to me? *Memoria hospitis unius diei praetereuntis.* 206 The eternal silence of these infinite spaces frightens me. 346 Thought constitutes the greatness of man. 347 Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed. The entire universe need not arm itself to crush him. A vapour, a drop of water suffices to kill him. But, if the universe were to crush him, man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies and the advantage which the universe has over him; the universe knows nothing of this. All our dignity consists then in thought. By it we must elevate ourselves, and not by space and time which we cannot fill. Let us endeavour then to think well; this is the principle of morality. 348 *A thinking reed.*—It is not from space that I must seek my dignity, but from the government of my thought. I shall have no more if I possess worlds. By space the universe encompasses and swallows me up like an atom; by thought I comprehend the world. ---- 中文译文 · Claude（AI）译 1 *几何精神与敏感精神的区别。*——在前一种精神里，原理是明明白白的，但离日常的运用很远；所以，由于缺乏习惯，人很难把心思转向那里。可是只要稍稍转过去一点，就能把原理看得一清二楚；从如此明显、几乎不可能被忽略的原理出发还推理错误，那就必定是一个极不精确的头脑了。 而在敏感精神里，原理就在日常的运用之中，摆在每个人的眼前。只要去看就行，用不着费力；这只是眼力好不好的问题，但眼力必须是好的，因为这些原理如此细微、如此繁多，几乎不可能不漏掉一些。而漏掉一条原理就会导致错误；所以，必须有非常清晰的眼光，才能看见全部的原理，其次还要有精确的头脑，才不会从已知的原理中引出错误的推论。 那么，所有的数学家如果眼光清晰，就都会具有敏感精神，因为他们不会从自己已知的原理出发进行错误的推理；而具有敏感精神的人，如果能把目光转向他们所不习惯的数学原理，也就都会成为数学家。 所以，有些具有敏感精神的人之所以不是数学家，是因为他们根本不能把注意力转向数学的原理；而数学家之所以没有敏感精神，是因为他们看不见眼前的东西。他们习惯了数学中精确而明白的原理，非要把原理仔细审视、排列妥当之后才肯推理，于是在需要敏感的事情上，在那些原理不容许这样排列的事情上，他们便迷失了。这些原理几乎是看不见的；与其说是看见的，不如说是感觉到的；要让那些自己感觉不到它们的人感觉到它们，是极其困难的。这些原理如此精微、如此繁多，需要一种非常细腻而又非常清晰的感觉才能察觉，并且在察觉之后正确而公允地加以判断，而大多数时候又无法像在数学中那样按顺序加以证明，因为我们认识这些原理的方式不同，而且要去这样做，会是一件没完没了的事情。我们必须一下子、一眼就看出事情来，而不是通过推理的过程，至少在一定程度上是如此。所以，数学家很少具有敏感精神，具有敏感精神的人也很少是数学家，因为数学家想用数学的方式去处理需要敏感的事情，先下定义，再立公理，结果使自己显得可笑，而这并不是进行这类推理的方法。并不是说头脑不这样做，而是它默默地、自然地、不凭技术规则地这样做；因为要把它表达出来，是一切人都做不到的，只有少数人能够感觉到它。 相反，具有敏感精神的人习惯于一眼就下判断，当别人向他们提出一些他们一点也不懂的命题，而通向这些命题的道路又是那么枯燥的定义和公理，他们又不习惯这样细细地去看，他们就会大吃一惊，望而却步，灰心丧气。 但是迟钝的头脑，既不会具有敏感精神，也不会具有几何精神。 只是数学家的数学家，只要一切都用定义和公理向他们解释清楚，他们就有精确的头脑；否则他们就会不精确，令人无法忍受，因为只有在原理十分清楚的时候，他们才是对的。 而只是具有敏感精神的人，没有耐心去追溯那些思辨的、概念性的事物的第一原理，这些事物他们在世上从未见过，完全不同于寻常。 144 我曾长时间研究抽象的科学，因为在其中一起研究的人太少而感到灰心。当我开始研究人的时候，我才看出这些抽象的科学并不适合于人，我钻研它们，比别人不懂它们，更加偏离了自己的处境。我原谅了别人对这些科学懂得太少；但我以为，至少在研究人这方面能找到许多同伴，而这才是适合于人的真正的研究。我想错了：研究人的人比研究几何的人还要少。正是因为不懂得怎样研究人，我们才去寻求其他的研究。然而，难道就连这里也不是人应该有的知识，而为了幸福，人最好还是不认识自己吗？ 205 当我想到我一生短暂的时光，被吞没在它前后的永恒之中，想到我所占据、甚至我所能看见的这一小块空间，被淹没在我所不认识、也不认识我的无限广阔的空间之中，我就感到恐惧，并且惊讶自己为什么是在这里而不是在那里，因为没有任何理由说明为什么是在这里而不是在那里，为什么是在此时而不是在彼时。是谁把我放到这里来的？是凭谁的命令、谁的安排，这个地点和这段时间才分派给了我？*只住一日的过客的回忆。* 206 这些无限空间的永恒沉默使我恐惧。 346 思想构成人的伟大。 347 人只不过是一根芦苇，是自然界中最脆弱的东西；但他是一根会思想的芦苇。用不着整个宇宙都武装起来才能毁灭他；一口气、一滴水就足以致他死命。然而，即使宇宙毁灭了他，人仍然要比致他于死命的东西更高贵，因为他知道自己要死，也知道宇宙对他所具有的优势，而宇宙对此却一无所知。 因此，我们全部的尊严就在于思想。我们必须由此提升自己，而不是凭借我们所无法填满的空间和时间。所以，让我们努力好好地思想吧；这就是道德的原则。 348 *会思想的芦苇。*——我应该追求自己的尊严，不是从空间，而是从对自己思想的支配。我即使占有许多个世界，也不会多一分尊严。由于空间，宇宙包容了我，像吞没一个原子那样吞没了我；由于思想，我却包容了世界。