Lucius Annaeus Seneca and Blaise Pascal on hope: an attempt at comparison

Abstract

The authors of the article analyze the phenomenon and symbol of hope in the philosophical views of Pascal and Seneca in terms of the invariance of the content against the background of social transformations. Through the distinction between hope-phenomenon and hope-symbol, the authors conclude that establishing a connection between the phenomenon of hope and the main categories of time makes it possible to trace the theological orientation in Pascal's views and Epicureanism in Seneca's teachings. The primary importance for Seneca of the problem of "death" as an alternative to "hope" is completely denied by Pascal in his reflections on sin, salvation of the soul, good, freedom, beauty, will, virtue and love (both God's and man's). The authors prove that the ideas of rationalistic reflection and the transcendence of the phenomenon of hope can be considered as a basis for contrasting the philosophical systems of Seneca and Pascal.