Simone Weil: A Very Short Introduction

This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of the intriguing and provocative life and ideas of twentieth century French philosopher, mystic, and social activist Simone Weil. Weil was not a typical, systematic philosopher. Despite her short life, Weil’s philosophy has much to offer us in our times of personal, communal, political, and environmental crises, both in the breath and poignancy of her philosophy, and the topics it covers.

In keeping with Weil’s spirit to consider and address laypeople, Rozelle-Stone takes readers, including those who have had little or no previous exposure to Weil or philosophy, on an accessible journey of Weil’s major philosophical impacts. This exploration consists of seven chapters highlighting: her life and manner of death, both characterized by attention; the influence of ancient Greek ideas on her philosophy; her thoughts on labour and politics; her unique and ecumenical religious inspirations, stemming from Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism; her ethical philosophy centred on a specific notion of attentiveness; her understanding of beauty as connected to fragility but also eternity; and finally, her legacy and influence on contemporary writers and issues, particularly as she may help us navigate and critically assess the growing convergence between religious fervour, late capitalist and corporate values, and authoritarian politics.

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A. Rebecca Rozelle-Stone, Professor of Philosophy, University of North Dakota

A. Rebecca Rozelle-Stone, Ph.D. is Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Dakota. She earned her B.A. at Birmingham-Southern College and her M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Rozelle-Stone served as the Vice President (2012-2014) and then President (2014-2016) of the American Weil Society, and has authored and edited several works on Simone Weil, including The Relevance of the Radical: Simone Weil 100 Years Later, Simone Weil and Theology, and Simone Weil and Continental Philosophy. Aside from Weil, her research interests include phenomenology, feminism, the ethics of attention, and the growing field of fatigue studies.