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Simone Weil

Simone Weil Quotes

Philosopher

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Famous Simone Weil Quotes

“Concern for the symbol has completely disappeared from our science . And yet, if one were to give oneself the trouble, one could easily find, in certain parts at least of contemporary mathematics... symbols as clear, as beautiful, and as full of spiritual meaning as that of the circle and mediation. From modern thought to ancient wisdom the path would be short and direct, if one cared to take it.”

IfsGivingWould BeBeautifulSpiritualCertainPathClearTroubleModernConcernDirectMathematicsAncientOneselfCirclesContemporarySymbolsMediationAncient Wisdom
Book:The Need for Roots: Prelude to a Declaration of Duties Towards Mankind
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“One can never really give a proof of the reality of anything; reality is not something open to proof, it is something established. It is established just because proof is not enough. It is this characteristic of language, at once indispensable and inadequate, which shows the reality of the external world. Most people hardly ever realize this, because it is rare that the very same man thinks and puts his thought into action.”

PeopleThinkingMenWorldGivingEnoughShowsRealityActionLanguageRealizingProofCharacteristicsIndispensableInadequate
Author:Simone Weil
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“He who does not realize to what extent shifting fortune and necessity hold in subjection every human spirit, cannot regard as fellow-creatures nor love as he loves himself those whom chance separated from him by an abyss. The variety of constraints pressing upon man give rise to the illusion of several distinct species that cannot communicate. Only he who has measured the dominion of force, and knows how not to respect it, is capable of love and justice.”

KnowsMenLifeGivingHumansDoeSpiritForceRealizingJusticeChanceKnow HowCreaturesCapableIllusionRegardFellowsFortuneSpeciesCommunicateVarietyAbyssHuman SpiritShiftingConstraintsDominionSubjection
Book:War and the Iliad
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“When war is waged, it is for the purpose of safeguarding or increasing one's capacity to make war. International politics are wholly involved in this vicious cycle. What is called national prestige consists in behaving always in such a way as to demoralize other nations by giving them the impression that, if it comes to war, one would certainly defeat them. What is called national security is an imaginary state of affairs in which one would retain the capacity to make war while depriving all other countries of it.”

IfsWayGivingWarCountryStatesPurposeNationsSecurityInvolvedEthicsCapacityAffairDefeatInternationalImpressionCyclesImaginaryOther CountriesNational SecurityViciousPrestigeDeprivingVicious CyclesSafeguarding
Author:Simone Weil
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“In relation to God, we are like a thief who has burgled the house of a kindly householder and been allowed to keep some of the gold. From the point of view of the lawful owner this gold is a gift; Form the point of view of the burglar it is a theft. He must go and give it back. It is the same with our existence. We have stolen a little of God's being to make it ours. God has made us a gift of it. But we have stolen it. We must return it.”

GivingLittlesMadeGodFormHouseViewsExistenceReturnGoldRelationPoint Of ViewOwnersThievesStolenTheftBurglars
Author:Simone Weil
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