The Philosophy of Simone Weil Essay -- Philosopher Simone Weil Essays

The Philosophy of Simone Weil In the final entry to her London notebooks, Simone Weil writes "Philosophy is exclusively an affair of action and practice. That is why it is so difficult to write about. Difficult in the same way as a treatise on tennis or running, but much more so." (Allen, p. 157) In these next few pages I will try to relay the basic ideas contained in Simone Weil's works. Because of the extensiveness and complexity of her work, I will be using her words exactly, as often as possible. Simone Weil was a trained philosopher and a teacher of philosophy. She was a political theorist and activist, a revolutionary, a laborer in the French fields and factories and toward the end of he life, she was a mystic. She believed in the transcendent powers of God. Much of her writing dealt with the ways in which God touches our lives, and the ways we can "find" or open ourselves to him. In her works, she spent a good deal of time defining and describing terms such as beauty and affliction, and describing solutions to social ills. First and foremost it is important to understand the relationship the Weil had with God. She had many mystical experiences in her life in which she walked and talked with God. One of these experiences in particular is described in volume two of her notebooks in a brief essay called "Come With Me." In this essay she recounts a story in which God comes and visit her. He takes her up to the attic of a church where they live for three days, eating only bread and drinking only water. But she had interesting notions about him and his existence; not notions that would seem consistent with having met with him. She explains that God is "everything that we are not" (Little, p. 57 ). But she goes on to ... ...egin. I suppose this is an issue Gardner faced in the beginning of his search as well; the abyss of the unknown. But it is an area I am interested in, even more so that the other frames we have studied, and I look forward to thinking in these terms as I further my studies in philosophy and spirituality. Works Cited: Allen, Diogenes and Springsted, Eric O. Spirit, Nature and Community. State University of New York Press. Albany, New York. 1994. Indinoplulos, Thomas A. and Knoppzadorsky, Josephine. Mysticism, Nihilism, Feminism. Institute of Social Sciences and Arts. Johnson City, Tennessee. 1984. Little, J.P. Simone Weil. St. Martin's Press. New York, New York. 1988. McFarland, Dorothy Tuck. Simone Weil. Fredrick Unger Publishing Co. New York, New York. 1983. Panichas, George A. (ed.) Simone Weil Reader. Moyer Bell Limited. Mt Kisco, New York.1977.

Do Black People Have Equality with Whit People in the Us in Teh 21st Century?

It was just fifty years ago that racial segregation was one of the defining features of American society. Blacks were forced to exist separately from the rest of America – physically, economically, and socially – so reducing them to a second- or even third-class status which denied them their basic rights. The famous court case: â€Å"brown v the board of education†, raised awareness of segregation was the first major step towards change. Education is a basic necessity for every young person whatever their background is. Due to the influences that slavery has had, public education was only designed for white people. Even though black children attended schools, these were often deprived, due to the lack of facilities available. Segregation is a form of racial discrimination, keeping black and white people apart. Thousands of people suffered from segregation, whether they were made to give up their seat on the bus or if they were simply forced to live in certain areas. The lack of education has meant that black people have no chance for moving up in the world. With poor qualifications, they would have poor jobs prospects, working long hours and being paid next to nothing. Their children have no chance of moving up in the world. They have no chance of attending college let alone university or if they do they are unable to pay the tuition fees. The low percent that do manage to go there, have to work part-time or join the army in order to pay the fees. Poor jobs mean poor housing, which in turn means living in poor neighborhoods resulting in violence due to guns, alcohol, drugs. All this means that there is a higher chance of dying younger. Poor jobs also lead to poverty and a poor diet and bad health. In the 1960’s the civil rights movement lead by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. fought for the rights of Black people. Both men believed in the same idea that equality was enshrined the constitution ‘that all men are created equal’. However, this was not being implemented. Both men went about achieving this in two different ways. Martin Luther King believed in a peaceful protest, whereas Malcolm X believed that violence was the key. There still isn’t enough black representation in the political system. Lack of political representation means that it has been difficult to enforce their rights. To conclude, the legacy of slavery has been the cause of the inequality between black and white people. Despite attempts to improve the lives of black people there has been only limited success . I think that the inequality of which black people suffer, has been caused by slavery. Without slavery having existed, would all men be equal?

What Is The Making Of The Modern World - 730 Words

The Making of the Modern World by Erik Ringmar, an overview of the events in history that have led to the modern political scene. Diplomacy by Stephen McGlinchey, the evolution of diplomacy and big events that have showcased the power of diplomacy. One World, Many Actors by Carmen Gebhard, the transition of global relations from international to trans-national focused on the role of individuals and groups. As a scholar, these three texts have changed my present thoughts on how the world’s international relations and diplomacy have been an integral part in making the global market. I am an economics major with an international trade and development concentration, learning about how the politics affect trade and businesses, is amazing. My†¦show more content†¦In the realm of international relations, I appreciate that it â€Å"moved away from a dominant focus on the state and the system to deal more with the role and perspective of groups and individuals.† (Carmen Gebhard). This allowed anyone to have a voice in politics and stand up for what they believe in and that is something I firmly believe in and was reinforced with this new knowledge about the concept of trans-national relations. Learning about the events that lead to the modern global political system and global market defiantly strengthened my belief that the global trade has significant benefits, taught me that economic incentives and potential loss can prevent wars, and money runs the world when it comes to being politically dominant. In the medieval ages the kings were dominant and had power over little except the economy. â€Å"The economy was not thought of as a distinct sphere separated from politics but instead as a tool of statecraft which the state could manipulate to serve its own ends.† (Erik Ringmar). Times have changed and medieval kings do not rule all the land but the concept remains the same, countries use their economic standing as a way to make deals, prevent political issues, and push forward their political agenda. This is not always successful especially when it came to the Cold War because the US and the USSR were both economically builtShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of George Orwell s Brave New World And 19841400 Words   |  6 PagesB.N.W. v.s. 1984 Synthesis Essay Hypothesis become theories and theories become laws. Brave New World and 1984 were both predictions made in the 1900s about what the future of the world would be like. Both of these books were written during the time when communism rose, and they show a world where it would have been like if communism was never struck down. 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