Chapter 5 : The Spiritual Teacher

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2005

Author

Tubbs, Nigel

Journal

Journal of Philosophy of Education

Volume

39

Number

2

Pages

287-317

Language

English

Keywords

attention
decreation
Heidegger, Martin
Buber, Martin
Education

Annotation

See "Simone Weil (1909-1943)" p. 298-307. Weil’s, thought, along with that of Martin Buber’s and Martin Heidegger’s is examined in a larger discussion of the ‘complexities inherent in the role of the `Spiritual Teacher’. Weil exemplifies the author argues, someone who addressed the paradox of the teacher as both ‘master and servant’, existing in the gap between ‘theory and practise’. After a brief presentation of Weil’s biographical details, the author turns to a discussion of Weil’s notions of attention and decreation as found in her essay “Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a view to the Love of God”. The author also makes brief reference to Weil’s work Gravity and Grace, before moving on to apply Weil’s notions to a theoretical discussion of the role of the teacher.

Notes

Published in book format in Philosophy of the Teacher by Nigel Tubbs. Oxford: Blackwell, 2005