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Single Idea 23747
[filed under theme 16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 7. Self and Body / a. Self needs body
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Full Idea
There is something sacred in every man, but it is not his person. Nor yet is it the human personality. It is this man; no more and no less. …It is he. The whole of him. The arms, they eyes, the thoughts, everything.
Gist of Idea
What is sacred is not a person, but the whole physical human being
Source
Simone Weil (Human Personality [1943], p,70)
Book Ref
Weil,Simone: 'An Anthology' [Penguin 1986], p.70
A Reaction
I take her to be referring to exactly the concept of a 'person' which Locke introduced. It is important to remember that his concept is mainly forensic - as a concept of ownership and contracts. A person is an abstraction. Even a corpse is a human.
The
18 ideas
from 'Human Personality'
23747
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What is sacred is not a person, but the whole physical human being
[Weil]
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23748
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The sacred in every human is their expectation of good rather than evil
[Weil]
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23749
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The problem of the collective is not suppression of persons, but persons erasing themselves
[Weil]
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23750
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It is not more money which the wretched members of society need
[Weil]
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23751
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Rights are asserted contentiously, and need the backing of force
[Weil]
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23752
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Giving centrality to rights stifles all impulses of charity
[Weil]
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23753
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People absurdly claim an equal share of things which are essentially privileged
[Weil]
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23754
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The only choice is between supernatural good, or evil
[Weil]
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23755
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Genius and love of truth are always accompanied by great humility
[Weil]
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23756
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The mind is imprisoned and limited by language, restricting our awareness of wider thoughts
[Weil]
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23758
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Beauty is an attractive mystery, leaving nothing to be desired
[Weil]
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23757
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The spirit of justice needs the full attention of truth, and that attention is love
[Weil]
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23761
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Justice (concerning harm) is distinct from rights (concerning inequality)
[Weil]
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23759
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Everything which originates in love is beautiful
[Weil]
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23760
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All we need are the unity of justice, truth and beauty
[Weil]
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23762
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Evil is transmitted by comforts and pleasures, but mostly by doing harm to people
[Weil]
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23764
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The only thing in society worse than crime is repressive justice
[Weil]
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23763
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Punishment aims at the good for men who don't desire it
[Weil]
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