Blaise Pascal

Blaise Pascal was born in Clermont France on June 19, 1623, and died in Paris on Aug. 19, 1662. His father, a local judge at Clermont, and also a man with a scientific reputation, moved the family to Paris in 1631, partly to presue his own scientific studies, partly to carry on the education of his only son, who had already displayed exceptional ability. Blaise was kept at home in order to ensure his not being overworked, and it was …

… religion. He wrote an account of the accident on a small piece of paper, which for the rest of his life he wore next to his heart, to remind him of his covenant. Shortly after the accident he moved to Port Royal, where he continued to live until his death in 1662. Besides the arithmetical machine and Pascals Theorem, Pascal also made the Arithmetical Triangle in 1653 and his work on the theory of probabilities in 1654.