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W

WEBER, MAX (1864–1920). German
sociologist who claimed that with the
waning of ancient beliefs in the gods
we enter a period of disenchantment.
Monotheism rid the forests and the natu-
ral world of spirits and, with the recession
of monotheism in the light of modern
science, we now face a more impersonal
natural world which can fuel the human
sense of alienation. Weber produced an
extensive study that proposed that there
were serious religious roots to capitalism
in Northern Europe, and he offered one
of the early naturalistic accounts of the
origin and continuation of religion. One
of his most influential works is The Prot-
estant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
(1904–1905).

WEIL, SIMONE (1909–1943). French
philosopher, mystic, and social activist.
Weil was born into an agnostic Jewish
family, but converted to Roman Catho-
licism after mystical experiences at
Solesmes in 1938. Due to her distrust of
institutional religion, however, she was
never baptized. Weil taught philosophy at

girls’ schools from 1931 to 1938 and was

active in worker’s rights movements. An

ardent socialist, she was critical of com-

munism for its fascist and totalitarian

tendencies. Her mysticism was world-re-

jecting and focused on the absence of

God in the world. She sought detachment

from self in order to achieve union with

God. Weil died at the age of 34 due to

tuberculosis and self-inflicted starvation

mimicking French suffering during

World War II. Her writings, published

posthumously, include Gravity and Grace

(1947), The Need for Roots (1949), Wa i t -

ing for God (1950), and Notebooks (3 vols.,

1951–1956), Oppression and Liberty (1958),

and Selected Essays, 1934–1943 (1962).

WHICHCOTE, BENJAMIN (1609–

1683). One of the founding British lead-

ers in a movement that has come to

be recognized as Cambridge Platonism.

Whichcote defended a form of Christian

theism that gave a high role to reason

and tolerance. His works (published

posthumously) include Select Notions of

B. Whichcote (1685), Select Sermons