Pascal's Pensées: Week 19, Metaphysics and Mental Health

164.

It affects our whole life to know whether the soul is mortal or immortal.

///

I'm reminded here of how the young William James went through an existential crisis when he doubted that he had free will. He resolved the crisis by making his first act of free will to believe in free will. 

Following Pascal, James realized that it affects your whole life to know whether you have free will or not. This is true. Studies have shown that your mental health is negatively affected if you doubt you have free will.

Metaphysics has mental health consequences. It will affect your whole life if you believe or doubt whether your soul is immortal.