The Need for Roots
Prelude to a Declaration of Obligations Towards the Human Being
Penguin Publishing Group · Print & ebook · February 13, 2024
French philosopher Simone Weil's best known work that promotes mindful living and instructs readers how they can once again feel rooted, in a cultural and spiritual sense, to their environment A Penguin Classic One of the foremost French philosophers of the last century, Simone Weil has been described by André Gide as "the patron saint of all outsiders" and by Albert Camus as "the only great spirit of our time." In this, her most famous work, she diagnoses the malaise at the heart of modern life: uprootedness, from the past and from community.
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- Who it’s for
- A spare, searching meditation on obligations, belonging, and the moral roots of civic life.
- Genres
- Political Philosophy, Social Philosophy, Social Theory
- Published
- Penguin Publishing Group, February 13, 2024
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French philosopher Simone Weil's best known work that promotes mindful living and instructs readers how they can once again feel rooted, in a cultural and spiritual sense, to their environment A Penguin Classic One of the foremost French philosophers of the last century, Simone Weil has been described by André Gide as "the patron saint of all outsiders" and by Albert Camus as "the only great spirit of our time."
Continue reading
In this, her most famous work, she diagnoses the malaise at the heart of modern life: uprootedness, from the past and from community. Written towards the end of World War II for the Free French Army, Weil's work is an indispensable and perpetually intriguing text for readers and students of philosophy everywhere. The book discusses the political, cultural and spiritual currents that ought to be nurtured so that people have access to sources of energy which will help them lead fulfilling, joyful and morally good lives.
Moral Roots
A spare, searching meditation on obligations, belonging, and the moral roots of civic life.
Come here for
- Contemplative political thought
- Layered criticism with historical reach
Expect
- Dense, reflective prose
- More argument than anecdote
Where it sits
| Political Philosophy | 46% |
|---|---|
| Social Philosophy | 38% |
| Social Theory | 24% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- 20th-Century History
- Political Philosophy
- Social Philosophy
- Authors
- Simone Weil, Ros Schwartz, Dr. Kate Kirkpatrick
- Publisher
- Penguin Publishing Group
- Published
- February 13, 2024
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Reading lane
- 20th-Century History