Reconstructing Platonism: The Trinitarian Metaxology of Simone Weil

Publication Type

Book Chapter

Year of Publication

2004

Author

Gabellieri, Emmanuel

Editor

Doering, E. Jane Springsted, Eric O.

Book

The Christian Platonism of Simone Weil

Pages

133-158

Publisher

University of Notre Dame Press

Place Published

Notre Dame

Language

English

Chapter

8

Keywords

beauty
Lévinas, Emmanuel
Bathazaar, Hans von
Knowledge
love
Blondel, Maurice
metaxu (intermediaries)
Plato
Trinity

Annotation

Gabellieri argues Weil’s reading of Plato offers a potential response to the deconstructionist critique of metaphysics. Even more, he suggests, her reading of Plato offers the possibility of reconciling philosophy and theology in a metaphysical reconstruction. He begins his examination of Weil’s writing on Plato by arguing it was not as scattered and disjointed as some scholars have argued. He goes on to offer an in-depth elaboration of Weil’s Christian Platonism comparing her work to that of Heidegger, Levinas, Blondel and Hans Urs von Balthazar. Especially important in his reflections is Weil’s notion of metaxu, intermediaries or bridges between the human and supernatural. Gabellieri is particularly concerned with showing the relationship between these mexatu and the Christian trinity. He concludes his essay by offering five proposals he considers to be central to Weil’s theological views or as he refers to it, to her metaxology.