Weil, Simone

Simone Weil (February 3, 1909–August 24, 1943) is a celebrated philosopher of religion, politics, and society. Though her writings did not become well known until years after her death, she is now widely regarded as one of the foremost Western intellectuals of the ideological left who also, ironically, shared Burkean conservative ideas. As an anti-Semitic French Jewish labor activist who battled Spanish dictators and Nazi fascists, she captured unique and profound perspectives in her writings during the most fraught era of the twenty-first century. She has been the subject of dozens of biographies, monographs, and articles across multiple disciplines, and her writings have been translated into several languages. Weil’s ideas have influenced generations of activists, students, artists, and others who seek to make philosophy a lifelong pursuit and practice.