Forgiveness Through Attention: Simone Weil’s Critique of the Imagination
Publication Type |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication |
2005 |
Author |
|
Journal |
Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition and Modernity |
Volume |
15 |
Pages |
121- 138 |
Language |
English |
Publish Dates |
Summer |
Keywords |
Bhagavad-Gita |
Annotation |
Rozelle-Stone begins with a critical look at notions of forgiveness in popular American culture. She then raises what she describes as the deeper questions related to forgiveness: "who the offended person is such that she could forgive? or in other words, what conditions must be present for true forgiveness to even occur?" (p. 122). To answer these questions, Rozelle-Stone turns to identify two notions of forgiveness in Weil's work. After a brief discussion of the first sense pardonner, the pardoning an offense, which she argues we cannot successfully do, she turns to the type of forgiveness we, according to Weil, must do, remettre. Understanding this second sense necessitates a more in-depth discussion of Weil's thinking on imagination and illusion. Here Rozelle-Stone argues at some length, Weil's reading of Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist texts influenced her thought. The article concludes with a reflection on the ethical and phenomenological significance of Weil's notion of forgiveness. |