Sorting the papers and sorting out the arguments (Pascal)

Pascal's papers preserved in the Pensees contain preparatory notes for certain writings familiar to us in other ways as well. This by no means implies that these notes are alien to his apologetic enterprise. Pascal gathers all the materials that he sees as possibly useful, both in his drafts and in his readings, religious and profane. And he sets other material aside; thus, those fragments of the Pensees that are 'withdrawn' lie outside his great plan and the dossiers on the miracles do seem to have been set aside in this way at some point. 'Removing the obstacles' also means setting aside the arguemtns that would detract from the effectiveness of the apologetic line of reasoning. In this way, most of the themes of the Provinciales controversy are left out, as are the standard ones of 'natural theology'.