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Name:
Simone Weil
Dates:
Born: February 3, 1909 in Paris, France
Died: August 24, 1943 in Ashford, Virginia
first mystical experience: 1938
Joined the Free French Forces (FFF) in London: 1942
Biography:
Simone Weil was a French philosopher, activist, and religious searcher who is
considered by many Catholics to be a "saint outside the church" because of
religious writings and despite the fact that she was never baptized (she came
from a non-practicing Jewish family).
From an early age she showed signs of brilliance and she went on to teach philosophy at a variety of schools, but her most abiding passion was in defending the interests of oppressed people everywhere. Weil started out as a pacifist, but later concluded that pacifism was inadequate in times when the poor and weak were under attack from more powerful and more violent forces.
Weil firmly believed in the existence of a good God, although she could not prove it. So, she offered a wager which she thought solved the problem:
If we put obedience to God above everything else, unreservedly, with the following thought, "Suppose God is real," then our gain is total. ...If one follows this rule of life, then no revelation at the moment of death can cause any regrets, because if chance or the devil governs all worlds we would still have no regrets for having lived this way. This is greatly preferable to Pascal's wager.
What Weil fails to explain, however, is why such a life is preferable to a live of loving and learning without any reference to God. The addition of "suppose God is real" does not appear to add anything important or necessary.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Christianity?
What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.What is the Philosophy of Religion?
Sometimes confused with theology, the Philosophy of Religion is the philosophical study of religious beliefs, religious doctrines, religious arguments and religious history. The line between theology and the philosophy of religion isn't always sharp, but the primary difference is that theology tends to be apologetical in nature, committed to the defense of particular religious positions, whereas Philosophy of Religion is committed to the investigation of religion itself, rather than the truth of any particular religion.What is Theism?
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A system of human beliefs, ideals and practices which is harder to define than it may at first appear. Read more about how dictionaries, scholars and others have tried to define and explain religion.
