Digital Roots

December 2020

The Need for Digital Roots

In The Need for Roots, Simone Weil sets out, firstly, a subjective/objective contrast between rights and obligations, and argues that obligations are the more fundamental concept, on the grounds that these obligations stem from satisfying the vital needs of every human being. After outlining a list of such needs, Weil secondly identifies the need for roots, as quoted above, as the most important and least recognized need, and then analyzes how people in both towns and countryside have been “uprooted,” and deprived of this essential need. Finally, Weil tries to identify the means by which people and society can be “inspirited,” have their roots restored, and their souls’ needs met.

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