Philosophy Now Forum

An introduction to our existential special issue by Anja Steinbauer.

https://philosophynow.org/issues/32/Existentialism

Iamgod, the all powerful god of the Great Beast on earth smiles its approval. Of course it knows there are people on earth capable of individuality existentialism speaks of but they are tolerated since there are not enough of them to threaten the supremacy of Iamgod and the slavery it keeps its followers within.

The Great Beast or society as a whole residing in Plato’s cave is the prison of the Great Beast which assures all talk of the ideals of existentialism will be ignored after the normal pontificating. Iamgod knows that since we are as we are, everything remains as it is and society as a great beast will respond mechanically to its powerful god: Iamgod, Lord of the Beast.

Of course Plato understood but since he couldn’t sing rap, no one cares.

from Book VI of his Republic (here Plato critiques those who are "wise" through their study of society):

I might compare them to a man who should study the tempers and desires of a mighty strong beast who is fed by him--he would learn how to approach and handle him, also at what times and from what causes he is dangerous or the reverse, and what is the meaning of his several cries, and by what sounds, when another utters them, he is soothed or infuriated; and you may suppose further, that when, by continually attending upon him, he has become perfect in all this, he calls his knowledge wisdom, and makes of it a system or art, which he proceeds to teach, although he has no real notion of what he means by the principles or passions of which he is speaking, but calls this honourable and that dishonourable, or good or evil, or just or unjust, all in accordance with the tastes and tempers of the great brute. Good he pronounces to be that in which the beast delights and evil to be that which he dislikes...

The Beast Masters serve Iamgod by organizing atoms of the Great Beast into collectives in service to the whims of Iamgod. Young indoctrinated slaves of the beast are called “snowflakes” representing the dedication to purity in support of Iamgod. Such purity assures everything will remain as it is.

Iamgod hates those like Simone Weil. Where people like Marx asserted that religion is the opiate of the masses, that annoying troublemaker Simone Weil had the audacity to say that “revolution is the opiate of the masses.” A personal insult to Iamgod and in the beliefs it demands dogmatic acceptance. Iam god demands belief in change comes by what we do. Those like Simone believe that beneficial social change is only possible through the change of what we are. Iamgod cannot accept this direct challenge to its divinity

This gives me the opportunity to write something for the American Weil Society colloquy next April. From the newsletter

I am pleased to announce the 40th Annual Colloquy of the American Weil Society will be organized by Tomeu Estelrich and will be held at Boston College, on April 23, 24th and 25th 2020. The topic of the colloquy will be: “Simone Weil on spirituality, beauty and justice”. Professor Elaine Scarry (Walter M. Cabot Professor of Aesthetics and the General Theory of Value, Department of English, Harvard University) has agreed to give the inaugural address to our conference on Thursday April 23, 2020 at 5:00pm. Following her keynote speech, there will be a reception. The theme ‘Spirituality, beauty and justice’ is deliberately broad, so that any aspect of Weil’s religious, political, and/or ethical philosophy may be addressed under the heading.

The AWS has many academics and a few nuts like me. Annual dues are $15, so a bargain for those who appreciate a mind stretch and meeting international scholars. I find it challenging to write a paper on the topic and get opinions from people more astute than me just for the fun of it. To understand why Albert Camus, an atheist and existentialist, called Simone Weil who died a Christian mystic, the only great mind of the times, would be worth writing for example on the topic of objective justice