Ideas from 'Gravity and Grace' by Simone Weil [1942], by Theme Structure
[found in 'Gravity and Grace' by Weil,Simone (ed/tr Crawford/De Ruhr) [Routledge 1952,978-0-415-29001-2]].
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3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 3. Value of Truth
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23825
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We seek truth only because it is good
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7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 6. Criterion for Existence
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24189
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The criterion of the real is contradictions
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11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 3. Value of Knowledge
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24194
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Wanting new discoveries blocks good thinking about what has been discovered
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11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 4. Belief / c. Aim of beliefs
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24195
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Don't reject opinions; arrange them all in a hierarchy
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16. Persons / F. Free Will / 6. Determinism / b. Fate
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24182
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We must be obedient, and love necessity
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18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 3. Emotions / c. Role of emotions
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24177
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Higher emotions have less energy, and actions may need the lower emotions
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20. Action / C. Motives for Action / 3. Acting on Reason / a. Practical reason
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24184
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What matters about an action is not its aim, but the origin of its compulsion
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21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 1. Artistic Intentions
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24198
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Perfect works of art seem to be essentially anonymous
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22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / a. Idealistic ethics
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23826
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Beauty, goodness and truth are only achieved by applying full attention
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / a. Nature of value
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24191
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We want our values to be eternal
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / e. Means and ends
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24197
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Power and money are supreme means, thus blinding people to ends
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / e. Death
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24181
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We need love to have a good death
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22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / g. Love
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24179
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We should never desire the immortality of the people we love
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22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / a. Form of the Good
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24193
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If we focus on the good, our whole soul is drawn towards it
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23833
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The good is a nothingness, and yet real
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23808
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There are two goods - the absolute good we want, and the reachable opposite of evil
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23. Ethics / B. Contract Ethics / 2. Golden Rule
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24196
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Loving others as ourselves implies varied love, and varied suffering
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23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 2. Elements of Virtue Theory / h. Right feelings
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24183
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We should only perform the good actions which we can't help doing
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23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 4. External Goods / d. Friendship
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24185
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Friendship is a virtue, not a state we should dream of
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23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 2. Nihilism
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24188
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It is absurd to say that evil proves life is worthless. If it were, why would evil matter?
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23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 4. Boredom
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24205
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Monotony is beautiful as a reflection of eternity, or atrocious as unvarying perpetuity
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24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / a. Sovereignty
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24202
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Obedience to an illegitimate ruler is a nightmare
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24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 4. Citizenship
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24200
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A citizen is defined by their subjection to the laws
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 1. Social Power
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24199
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There is no oppression, or oppressive class; there is only an oppressive society
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24201
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Social order is equilibrium of forces, which must be corrected when imbalanced
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24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / c. Revolution
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24203
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Atheistic materialism must be revolutionary, because its good is in the future
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 2. Anarchism
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23809
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Our only social duty is to try to limit evil
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24190
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Anarchists thought (hopelessly) that empowering the oppressed would end evil
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 9. Communism
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23807
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The collective is the one and only object of false idolatry
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24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 14. Nationalism
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23810
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Charity is the only love, and you can feel that for a country (a place with traditions), but not a nation
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25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 1. Slavery
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23811
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If effort is from necessity rather than for a good, it is slavery
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27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 2. Passage of Time / a. Experience of time
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24204
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The past is known to us but unreachable - a perfect image of eternal, supernatural reality
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28. God / B. Proving God / 1. Proof of God
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24192
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My love makes me believe in God; the inconceivability of this God makes me disbelieve
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 1. Religious Commitment / a. Religious Belief
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24206
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Revolution (not religion) is the opium of the people
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24178
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We must leave on one side the ordinary 'consolations' of religion
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / a. Immortality
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24180
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We just see immortality as prolongation of life, making death meaningless
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / b. Soul
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23765
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The soul is the intrinsic value of a human
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / b. Human Evil
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24186
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If the world lacked evil, then the evil would be in our desires, which would be worse
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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / d. Natural Evil
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24187
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Without worldly affliction, we'd think this is paradise
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