[Blaise Pascal and his visual experiences]. 2011

Maurizio Paciaroni
Stroke Unit, Medicina Interna Cardiovasculare, Università di Perugia. mpaciaroni@med.unipg.it

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) the mathematician, physicist, and theologian, is often considered as an example of classical French prose. Pascal's primary scientific contribution was the principle of hydrostatics, known as Pascal's Law. Furthermore, he is also regarded as one of the most important French philosophers, principally due to his publication: "Pensées". There is documentation affirming that Pascal suffered from visual migraines with recurring headaches, episodes of blindness in half of his visual field, zigzag, fortification spectra, and other visual hallucinations. It has been hypothesised that these migraine aura experiences acted as a source of inspiration for Pascal's philosophical reflections. Pascal's sudden religious conversion, probably the most decisive moment in Pascal's personal life, during the night of the 23rd to 24th of November 1654, was accompanied by a lighted vision which he interpreted as fire convincing him of God's "reality and presence". This experience may have been triggered by the effects of a migraine aura attack. This spiritual epiphany led him to dedicate the rest of his life to religious and philosophical interests.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D005602 France A country in western Europe bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel, the Mediterranean Sea, and the countries of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the principalities of Andorra and Monaco, and by the duchy of Luxembourg. Its capital is Paris. Corsica,Saint Pierre and Miquelon,Miquelon and Saint Pierre,Miquelon and St. Pierre,St. Pierre and Miquelon
D006212 Hallucinations Subjectively experienced sensations in the absence of an appropriate stimulus, but which are regarded by the individual as real. They may be of organic origin or associated with MENTAL DISORDERS. Hallucination of Body Sensation,Hallucinations, Auditory,Hallucinations, Dissociative,Hallucinations, Elementary,Hallucinations, Formed, of People,Hallucinations, Gustatory,Hallucinations, Hypnagogic,Hallucinations, Hypnapompic,Hallucinations, Internal Body Sensation,Hallucinations, Kinesthetic,Hallucinations, Mood Congruent,Hallucinations, Mood Incongruent,Hallucinations, Olfactory,Hallucinations, Organic,Hallucinations, Reflex,Hallucinations, Sensory,Hallucinations, Somatic,Hallucinations, Tactile,Hallucinations, Verbal Auditory,Hallucinations, Visual,Hallucinations, Visual, Formed,Hallucinations, Visual, Unformed,Auditory Hallucination,Auditory Hallucination, Verbal,Auditory Hallucinations,Auditory Hallucinations, Verbal,Body Sensation Hallucination,Body Sensation Hallucinations,Dissociative Hallucination,Dissociative Hallucinations,Elementary Hallucination,Elementary Hallucinations,Gustatory Hallucination,Gustatory Hallucinations,Hallucination,Hallucination, Auditory,Hallucination, Dissociative,Hallucination, Elementary,Hallucination, Gustatory,Hallucination, Hypnagogic,Hallucination, Hypnapompic,Hallucination, Kinesthetic,Hallucination, Mood Congruent,Hallucination, Mood Incongruent,Hallucination, Olfactory,Hallucination, Organic,Hallucination, Reflex,Hallucination, Sensory,Hallucination, Somatic,Hallucination, Tactile,Hallucination, Verbal Auditory,Hallucination, Visual,Hypnagogic Hallucination,Hypnagogic Hallucinations,Hypnapompic Hallucination,Hypnapompic Hallucinations,Kinesthetic Hallucination,Kinesthetic Hallucinations,Mood Congruent Hallucination,Mood Congruent Hallucinations,Mood Incongruent Hallucination,Mood Incongruent Hallucinations,Olfactory Hallucination,Olfactory Hallucinations,Organic Hallucination,Organic Hallucinations,Reflex Hallucination,Reflex Hallucinations,Sensory Hallucination,Sensory Hallucinations,Somatic Hallucination,Somatic Hallucinations,Tactile Hallucination,Tactile Hallucinations,Verbal Auditory Hallucination,Verbal Auditory Hallucinations,Visual Hallucination,Visual Hallucinations
D006261 Headache The symptom of PAIN in the cranial region. It may be an isolated benign occurrence or manifestation of a wide variety of HEADACHE DISORDERS. Cephalgia,Hemicrania,Bilateral Headache,Cephalalgia,Cephalodynia,Cranial Pain,Generalized Headache,Head Pain,Ocular Headache,Orthostatic Headache,Periorbital Headache,Retro-Ocular Headache,Sharp Headache,Throbbing Headache,Unilateral Headache,Vertex Headache,Bilateral Headaches,Cephalalgias,Cephalgias,Cephalodynias,Cranial Pains,Generalized Headaches,Head Pains,Headache, Bilateral,Headache, Generalized,Headache, Ocular,Headache, Orthostatic,Headache, Periorbital,Headache, Retro-Ocular,Headache, Sharp,Headache, Throbbing,Headache, Unilateral,Headache, Vertex,Headaches,Headaches, Bilateral,Headaches, Generalized,Headaches, Ocular,Headaches, Orthostatic,Headaches, Periorbital,Headaches, Retro-Ocular,Headaches, Sharp,Headaches, Throbbing,Headaches, Unilateral,Headaches, Vertex,Ocular Headaches,Orthostatic Headaches,Pain, Cranial,Pain, Head,Pains, Cranial,Pains, Head,Periorbital Headaches,Retro Ocular Headache,Retro-Ocular Headaches,Sharp Headaches,Throbbing Headaches,Unilateral Headaches,Vertex Headaches
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D049670 History, 17th Century Time period from 1601 through 1700 of the common era. 17th Century History,17th Cent. History (Medicine),17th Cent. History of Medicine,17th Cent. Medicine,Historical Events, 17th Century,History of Medicine, 17th Cent.,History, Seventeenth Century,Medical History, 17th Cent.,Medicine, 17th Cent.,17th Cent. Histories (Medicine),17th Century Histories,Cent. Histories, 17th (Medicine),Century Histories, Seventeenth,Century History, 17th,Century History, Seventeenth,Histories, 17th Cent. (Medicine),Histories, 17th Century,Histories, Seventeenth Century,History, 17th Cent. (Medicine),Seventeenth Century Histories,Seventeenth Century History
D020325 Migraine with Aura A subtype of migraine disorder, characterized by recurrent attacks of reversible neurological symptoms (aura) that precede or accompany the headache. Aura may include a combination of sensory disturbances, such as blurred VISION; HALLUCINATIONS; VERTIGO; NUMBNESS; and difficulty in concentrating and speaking. Aura is usually followed by features of the COMMON MIGRAINE, such as PHOTOPHOBIA; PHONOPHOBIA; and NAUSEA. (International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd ed. Cephalalgia 2004: suppl 1) Basilar-Type Migraine,Classic Migraine,Complicated Migraine,Familial Hemiplegic Migraine,Migraine, Classic,Acute Onset Aura Migraine,Basilar Artery Migraine,Basilar Migraine,Classical Migraine,Hemiplegic Migraine, Familial,Hemiplegic-Ophthalmoplegic Migraine,Migraine Aura without Headache,Migraine with Acute Onset Aura,Migraine with Prolonged Aura,Migraine with Typical Aura,Migraine, Prolonged Aura,Typical Aura without Headache,Basilar Migraines,Basilar Type Migraine,Familial Hemiplegic Migraines,Migraine with Auras,Migraine, Basilar,Migraine, Basilar Artery,Migraine, Basilar-Type,Migraine, Classical,Migraine, Complicated,Prolonged Aura Migraine

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