SUPERNATURAL KNOWLEDGE: A SIMONE WEIL WEEKEND WORKSHOP
A workshop on the mystical philosopher Simone Weil, originally held between Christmas and the New Year, 2024. This includes 6 hours of audio recording from the class and an accompanying slideshow with several quotes. The class gives an overview of Simone Weil’s thought while delving deeply into some of her most discussed topics, such as attention, reading, God, and roots.
“To accept the void in oneself is supernatural,” wrote Simone Weil, a 20th-century mystic, philosopher, and activist. We’ll discuss her ideas about attention, truth, revolution, justice, God, and thought itself. Lecture/slide show format + reading her work together. How might we apply Simone Weil’s attentive, rigorous, and heterodox thought to our own info-saturated age?
CLASS 1: ATTENTION & READING
Discussion and overview of Simone Weil’s life and work and this class using her writings on attention and reading as a framework. We’ll discuss Weil’s biography and Gravity and Grace, her most well-known work. Close readings and discussion of excerpts from the text, with a special focus on the sections called “Readings” and “Attention and Will.”
CLASS 2: GOD, ROOTS, FUTURE
Discussion of excerpts from Waiting for God, On the Abolition of All Political Parties, and The Need for Roots, as well as Simone Weil’s relevance today.
Features:
-both an overview and deep dive into Simone Weil’s work and life
-how Simone Weil might act as a guide to these times
-using her concepts of attention and close reading to structure the class–a meditative space for thinking and considering in the space between Christmas and the New Year
Benefits:
-space and time to think and reflect before the New Year
-stronger critical thinking skills
-deeper understanding of and engagement with not only Simone Weil, an important 20th century thinker, but of concepts like Love, Reading, Attention, and The Void
-new ways of thinking about the internet, attention in the information age, political parties, and rootedness
A workshop on the mystical philosopher Simone Weil, originally held between Christmas and the New Year, 2024. This includes 6 hours of audio recording from the class and an accompanying slideshow with several quotes. The class gives an overview of Simone Weil’s thought while delving deeply into some of her most discussed topics, such as attention, reading, God, and roots.
“To accept the void in oneself is supernatural,” wrote Simone Weil, a 20th-century mystic, philosopher, and activist. We’ll discuss her ideas about attention, truth, revolution, justice, God, and thought itself. Lecture/slide show format + reading her work together. How might we apply Simone Weil’s attentive, rigorous, and heterodox thought to our own info-saturated age?
CLASS 1: ATTENTION & READING
Discussion and overview of Simone Weil’s life and work and this class using her writings on attention and reading as a framework. We’ll discuss Weil’s biography and Gravity and Grace, her most well-known work. Close readings and discussion of excerpts from the text, with a special focus on the sections called “Readings” and “Attention and Will.”
CLASS 2: GOD, ROOTS, FUTURE
Discussion of excerpts from Waiting for God, On the Abolition of All Political Parties, and The Need for Roots, as well as Simone Weil’s relevance today.
Features:
-both an overview and deep dive into Simone Weil’s work and life
-how Simone Weil might act as a guide to these times
-using her concepts of attention and close reading to structure the class–a meditative space for thinking and considering in the space between Christmas and the New Year
Benefits:
-space and time to think and reflect before the New Year
-stronger critical thinking skills
-deeper understanding of and engagement with not only Simone Weil, an important 20th century thinker, but of concepts like Love, Reading, Attention, and The Void
-new ways of thinking about the internet, attention in the information age, political parties, and rootedness
A workshop on the mystical philosopher Simone Weil, originally held between Christmas and the New Year, 2024. This includes 6 hours of audio recording from the class and an accompanying slideshow with several quotes. The class gives an overview of Simone Weil’s thought while delving deeply into some of her most discussed topics, such as attention, reading, God, and roots.
“To accept the void in oneself is supernatural,” wrote Simone Weil, a 20th-century mystic, philosopher, and activist. We’ll discuss her ideas about attention, truth, revolution, justice, God, and thought itself. Lecture/slide show format + reading her work together. How might we apply Simone Weil’s attentive, rigorous, and heterodox thought to our own info-saturated age?
CLASS 1: ATTENTION & READING
Discussion and overview of Simone Weil’s life and work and this class using her writings on attention and reading as a framework. We’ll discuss Weil’s biography and Gravity and Grace, her most well-known work. Close readings and discussion of excerpts from the text, with a special focus on the sections called “Readings” and “Attention and Will.”
CLASS 2: GOD, ROOTS, FUTURE
Discussion of excerpts from Waiting for God, On the Abolition of All Political Parties, and The Need for Roots, as well as Simone Weil’s relevance today.
Features:
-both an overview and deep dive into Simone Weil’s work and life
-how Simone Weil might act as a guide to these times
-using her concepts of attention and close reading to structure the class–a meditative space for thinking and considering in the space between Christmas and the New Year
Benefits:
-space and time to think and reflect before the New Year
-stronger critical thinking skills
-deeper understanding of and engagement with not only Simone Weil, an important 20th century thinker, but of concepts like Love, Reading, Attention, and The Void
-new ways of thinking about the internet, attention in the information age, political parties, and rootedness