Simone Weil
Simone Weil
Simone Weil; 3 February 1909 – 24 August 1943) was a French philosopher, Christian mystic, and political activist...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth3 February 1909
CityParis, France
CountryFrance
compassion hungry contemplation
The feeding of those that are hungry is a form of contemplation.
perfection levels imagine
An imaginary perfection is automatically at the same level as I who imagine it neither higher nor lower.
soul suffering facts
Moreover, nothing is so rare as to see misfortune fairly portrayed; the tendency is either to treat the unfortunate person as though catastrophe were his natural vocation, or to ignore the effects of misfortune on the soul, to assume, that is, that the soul can suffer and remain unmarked by it, can fail, in fact, to be recast in misfortune's image.
men intelligent cells
The difference between more or less intelligent men is like the difference between criminals condemned to life imprisonment in smaller or larger cells. The intelligent man who is proud of his intelligence is like a condemned man who is proud of his large cell.
philosophy science years
The proper method of philosophy consists in clearly conceiving the insoluble problems in all their insolubility and then in simply contemplating them, fixedly and tirelessly, year after year, without any hope, patiently waiting.
inspirational courage suffering
One should identify oneself with the universe itself. Everything that is less than the universe is subjected to suffering.
self iron hatred
Affliction hardens and discourages us because, like a red hot iron, it stamps the soul to its very depths with the scorn, the disgust, and even the self-hatred and sense of guilt that crime logically should produce but actually does not.
appreciate flavor form
Religion is a form of nourishment. It is difficult to appreciate the flavor and food-value of something one has never eaten.
science doe worthless
A science which does not bring us nearer to God is worthless.
life happiness play
One does not play Bach without having done scales. But neither does one play a scale merely for the sake of the scale.
absence feels
He who has not God in himself cannot feel His absence.
pain roots evil
Evil being the root of mystery, pain is the root of knowledge.
powerful years light
Even if our efforts of attention seem for years to be producing no result, one day a light that is in exact proportion to them will flood the soul.
order causes
Those who love a cause are those who love the life which has to be led in order to serve it.