Abstract (eng)
In this master’s thesis, I will discuss Simone Weil’s philosophy of science. In the existing literature, Weil is mostly discussed with regards to her practical philosophy. However, her early writings also provide, as I intend to show, interesting perspectives on science. On the one hand, she discusses recent developments in light of their historical evolution, such as the rise of non-Euclidean geometry in mathematics, the theory of relativity, and quantum mechanics. On the other, she connects them to more general philosophical views on epistemological and metaphysical issues in mathematics and physics, as well as the philosophy of mind. Finally, Weil offers an own account on the role and function of science in society with a focus on education. The overall aim of the thesis is, on the one hand, to make more accessible Weil’s idiosyncratic thinking to analytic philosophers by reconstructing her main arguments and discussing them in light of literature on the historical issues at stake. On the other, I intend to shed new light on some of Weil’s own ideas and discuss them with regards to current philosophical debates.