We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the

Hear the immortal words of Blaise Pascal, philosopher, mathematician, and mystic of the seventeenth century: “We know the truth, not only by the reason, but also by the heart.” In this declaration lies a wisdom that transcends cold logic, reminding us that truth is not the property of the mind alone, but also of the soul. Reason may weigh, measure, and calculate, but the heart perceives realities that the intellect cannot grasp—love, faith, beauty, sorrow, and the divine. To know truth fully, we must honor both the blade of reason and the flame of the heart, for neither alone is sufficient.

The ancients, too, understood this dual path. Aristotle spoke of the intellect, yes, but also of virtue and character, which cannot be measured by reason alone but must be lived in the depths of the soul. In the East, the sages of India declared that wisdom is not mere knowledge but realization—jnana joined with bhakti, intellect joined with devotion. So too did Pascal, standing between the rising age of science and the enduring call of faith, remind his generation that the deepest truths are felt as much as they are reasoned.

Consider the story of Joan of Arc. A young peasant girl, untrained in philosophy or strategy, she claimed to hear voices from heaven. Reason dismissed her as mad, yet with the fire of her heart’s conviction, she led armies and turned the tide of history. Was it logic alone that gave her this strength? No—it was the heart’s vision, beyond reason, that carried her. This illustrates Pascal’s meaning: there are truths the intellect may doubt, yet the heart knows them as surely as the eyes know light.

The origin of Pascal’s reflection lies in his famous Pensées, where he wrestled with the tension between faith and reason. A mathematician who understood the precision of numbers, he also saw the limits of logic. He knew that reason can analyze the visible world, but when it comes to the mysteries of love, morality, or God, reason falters. Here the heart takes over—not in blind irrationality, but in a deeper form of knowing, a knowledge born of experience, intuition, and spiritual sight.

This teaching carries a warning against arrogance. Many exalt reason as the supreme power, dismissing what cannot be proven as false. Yet reason itself admits its limits. Can reason alone explain why beauty moves us to tears, why sacrifice stirs us to awe, why love binds us more strongly than law? The heart knows these truths before reason can attempt to define them. Pascal teaches us that to deny the heart’s wisdom is to live with half our vision darkened.

The lesson is clear: if you would know truth, walk with both reason and heart. Let reason guard you from folly, but let the heart open you to mysteries beyond calculation. Truth is not a stone to be measured, but a flame to be felt. To seek only reason is to build a map without ever stepping on the road; to seek only heart is to wander without direction. Together, they form the compass of a full life.

Practical steps follow. Practice reason by studying, questioning, and seeking clarity. But also practice heart: allow yourself to feel gratitude, to honor beauty, to meditate, to pray, to love deeply. When faced with decisions, do not ask only what is logical, but also what resonates in the depth of your being. Balance analysis with compassion, skepticism with faith. In this way, you will not only know facts, but live in wisdom.

Thus Pascal’s words stand as eternal counsel: truth is known not only by reason, but also by the heart. Reason gives us knowledge, but the heart gives us meaning. Reason builds the ship, but the heart sets its course. Together they carry us across the great sea of existence. Let us, therefore, honor both—the clarity of the mind and the sincerity of the heart—that we may walk not in fragments, but in wholeness, toward the fullness of truth.