Dominique Descotes, a scholar specializing in the works of Blaise Pascal and 17th-century French literature, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at the age of 78. An emeritus professor at the University of Clermont Auvergne, he spent much of his career exploring the many facets of Pascal—writer, polemicist, theologian, mathematician, and physicist—bridging disciplines that often remain separate. He left behind a substantial body of critical and editorial work, as well as tools that have become essential for scholars of Pascal. The Society of Friends of Port-Royal announced his death, honoring him as an "emeritus Pascalian" and praising his work as one of the most insightful interpretations of Pascal's Provinciales and Pensées. He was a professor of French literature in Clermont-Ferrand, a member of the Institute for the History of Representations and Ideas in the Modernities (Ihrim), and long associated with the International Blaise Pascal Center (CIBP). He was elected scientific director of the CIBP in 1986 and later chaired the Association of Friends and Correspondents of the CIBP, continuing his research on Pensées, the history of science, and literature from the Grand Century. One of his most notable works is Blaise Pascal. Literature and Geometry, published in 2001. Earlier, he wrote La Première critique des Pensées in 1980, examining one of the earliest reactions to Pensées, and L'Argumentation chez Pascal in 1993, based on his thesis. In 1993, he also authored Pascal. Biography, study of the work, offering a comprehensive overview of the life and writings of the Clermont-Ferrand native. Over the years, he edited several works, including Pascal. The Calcul and Theology and Treize études sur Blaise Pascal, and contributed to the critical edition of La Logique ou l'Art de penser by Antoine Arnauld and Pierre Nicole. Dominique Descotes was also a pioneer in digital scholarship. He collaborated with engineer Gilles Proust to create an electronic edition of Pensées, allowing scholars to compare Pascal's original manuscripts with 17th-century copies and modern editions. The Society of Friends of Port-Royal noted that this resource is widely used by scholars in France and beyond. He also had a passion for theater and detective novels, which helped him make a significant discovery in 2010. While working on digitizing Pascal's papers at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, he found an unpublished geometric theorem on the back of a fragment related to Provinciales. This discovery provided insight into Pascal's scientific thought. He continued to explore the intersection of literature and science until his final years, publishing in 2022 "The Letters of the Arithmetic Triangle." His influence extended beyond academic circles. He contributed to editions aimed at a broader audience, including a widely reprinted version of Pensées with Marc Escola. He also participated in the Pascal, the Heart and the Reason catalog by the Bibliothèque nationale de France and co-directed several publishing series with Philippe Sellier. In 2019, 30 researchers honored him with a 600-page volume titled Passions géométriques, highlighting his wide-ranging intellectual contributions, from Pascal and Descartes to detective fiction and theater. The Society of Friends of Port-Royal remembered him as a generous, humorous, and tireless scholar, calling him "one of the most faithful friends" of the Society. Olivier Bianchi, former mayor of Clermont-Ferrand, praised Descotes as an "eminent specialist" of Pascal's work. His funeral will be held on Monday, September 21, 2026, at 3 p.m. in the church of the Sacred Heart of Clermont-Ferrand. The Society of Friends of Port-Royal extended its condolences to his wife, Françoise Descotes, his children, and his entire family.