Simone Weil: Basic Writings

Simone Weil is one of the most profound and thought-provoking thinkers of the 20th century. A teacher, factory and farm labourer, a political activist at home and abroad, a loving friend, daughter and sister―all these manifest a life devoted to the good in its many forms. Her writings explore the good open to us and the various routes to it, spanning philosophy, politics, science and spirituality. While she saw her vocation primarily as a philosopher―examining questions concerning human faculties, action and thought, the limits of language and our need of mediation, suffering and beauty for contact with reality―her startlingly original thought is often obscured by her having been too readily categorized as a Christian mystic. Simone Weil: Basic Writings is an expertly edited anthology of Weil’s most important writings, presenting her philosophy as it relates to the architecture of human nature, politics, work, necessity, beauty, goodness and God. Working from the definitive French edition of Weil’s complete writings, D. K. Levy and Marina Barabas have translated the essays anew or for the first time, adding important notes and references absent from existing English language editions of Weil’s work. Following an extensive introduction that gives an overview of Weil's life and thought, each part opens with a short preface situating the selected essays within Weil’s oeuvre. Simone Weil: Basic Writings provides an excellent entry point to Weil’s philosophy, as well as a reference for students and scholars of Weil's thought in philosophy and related disciplines. Simone Weil is one of the most profound and thought-provoking thinkers of the twentieth century. A teacher, factory and farm labourer, a political activist at home and abroad, a loving friend, daughter and sisterall these manifest a life devoted to the good in its many forms. Her writings explore the good open to us and the various routes to it, spanning philosophy, politics, science, and spirituality. While she saw her vocation primarily as a philosopherexamining questions concerning human faculties, action and thought, the limits of language and our need of mediation, suffering and beauty for contact with realityher startingly original thought is often obscured by her having been too readily categorized as a Christian mystic. Simone Basic Writings is an expertly edited anthology of Weils most important writings, presenting her philosophy as it relates to the architecture of human nature, politics, work, necessity, beauty, goodness and God. Working from the definitive French edition of Weils complete writings, D. K. Levy and Marina Barabas have translated the essays anew or for the first time, adding important notes and references absent from existing English language editions of Weils work. Following an extensive introduction that gives an overview of Weil's life and thought, each section opens with a short introduction situating the selected essays within Weils oeuvre. Simone Basic Writings provides an excellent entry point for Weils philosophy, as well as a reference for students and scholars of Weils thought in philosophy and related disciplines. Cover Half Title Endorsements Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Notes on the translation Part 1 Here below Preface to Part 1 1 Study for a declaration of obligations to the human being 2 Concerning syndicalism “single, apolitical, mandatory” 3 Let’s not start the Trojan War again 4 Legitimacy of the provisional government 5 What does the Occitanian inspiration consist in 6 Prelude to a declaration of duties toward the human being 7 Is there a Marxist doctrine? 8 Reflections on quantum theory 9 Morality and literature 10 Essay on the concept of reading 11 Some reflections on the concept of value 12 This war is a war of religions 13 Are we fighting for justice? 14 Is the human person sacred? Part 2 Mediation Preface to Part 2 15 Precondition of non-servile work 16 Reflections on the good use of school studies with a view to the love of God 17 Sketch of the “Commentary on Pythagorean texts” 18 Concerning the Pythagorean Doctrine Part 3 Beyond the sky Preface to Part 3 19 Theory of sacraments 20 Forms of the implicit love of God Love of one’s neighbour Love of the order of the world Love of religious practices Friendship Implicit love and explicit love 21 God’s love and affliction Index