Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Philosophy

May 17, 2024

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was born on June 28, 1712 in Geneva, Switzerland. His father, Isaac, was a watchmaker and his mother, Suzanne, was a seamstress. Rousseau was the second of five children. His family was Calvinist and his father taught him to read the Bible at a young age. Rousseau attended school until he was ten years old, when his father died and he was sent to live with an uncle in a small village.

Rousseau returned to Geneva at the age of sixteen and began an apprenticeship with an engraver. He also began to read widely, including the works of John Locke and Voltaire. In 1728, Rousseau left Geneva to travel around Europe. He eventually settled in Paris, where he met and befriended Denis Diderot. Rousseau began working as a secretary for a diplomat in 1742.

In 1745, Rousseau published his first major work, "Discourse on the Sciences and Arts." The work was a criticism of the state of learning in Europe and argued that the arts and sciences had corrupted human nature. Rousseau's ideas were controversial and he was criticized by many of his contemporaries.

In 1749, Rousseau published "Discourse on the Origin of Inequality." In this work, Rousseau argued that inequality was not natural, but was the result of the development of society and civilization. This work made Rousseau even more famous and controversial.

In 1755, Rousseau published "The Social Contract." In this work, Rousseau argued that government should be based on the consent of the people. He also argued for the rights of individuals and for a society based on equality and freedom. "The Social Contract" was one of the most influential political works of the eighteenth century. Rousseau continued to write and publish works on a variety of topics, including education, religion, and aesthetics. He also wrote several autobiographical works, including "Confessions" and "The Reveries of the Solitary Walker." Rousseau died on July 2, 1778 in Ermenonville, France.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Philosophy

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a French philosopher who believed that humans are naturally good but are corrupted by society. He believed that humans are born free and equal, but they are not free when they live in society because they are subject to laws and customs. Rousseau believed that humans should be free to do what they want, as long as it doesn't hurt others. He believed that the government should be a democracy, where the people have a say in what happens.

1. Political Philosophy and the Social Contract:

Rousseau’s most famous political work, The Social Contract (1762), introduced the idea that legitimate political authority must come from the general will of the people, not from divine right or coercion. His famous line, "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains," reflects his belief that society corrupts the natural freedom and equality of individuals.
He developed a theory of popular sovereignty, where individuals collectively participate in forming the general will, and laws reflect the common good. This concept had a profound influence on modern democratic theory.

2. Natural Goodness and the Noble Savage:

Rousseau believed that humans are inherently good but become corrupted by the institutions and inequalities of society. He idealized what he called the "noble savage", a concept suggesting that people in a "state of nature" (without society) were more virtuous, uncorrupted by the artificial inequalities created by civilization.
He argued that private property led to social inequalities, which in turn led to conflict and the breakdown of natural human compassion.

3. Education and "Émile":

In his educational treatise Émile, or On Education (1762), Rousseau presented his ideas on how to raise children to preserve their natural goodness and help them grow into free-thinking individuals. He advocated for learning through direct experience rather than rote memorization and believed in educating children according to their natural stages of development.
His ideas on education had a lasting influence on pedagogy and child-centered learning approaches.

4. Moral Psychology and Sentiment:

Rousseau believed that human beings were driven not only by reason but by emotions, especially compassion (or pitié). He emphasized the role of emotions in moral decision-making, arguing that people are naturally empathetic and capable of acting morally out of a sense of shared humanity.
He critiqued the Enlightenment’s heavy emphasis on rationalism, advocating instead for a balance between reason and emotion in human life.

5. Influence on Romanticism:

Rousseau’s focus on the importance of emotion, nature, and individual experience helped shape the later Romantic movement in art and literature, which emphasized feelings, personal expression, and a return to nature as an ideal state of being.

6. Critique of Society and Civilization:

In works like Discourse on the Arts and Sciences (1750) and Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men (1755), Rousseau criticized contemporary society, arguing that advancements in arts, sciences, and civilization led to the moral decline of humanity by promoting inequality, pride, and selfishness.

Rousseau's ideas had a profound impact on political thought, especially during the French Revolution, and continue to influence modern discussions on democracy, education, and human nature. His emphasis on freedom, equality, and the potential goodness of humanity stood in contrast to other Enlightenment thinkers, making him one of the most influential philosophers of his time.

Category: General Philosophy