Rousseau Essay

713 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: jean jacques rousseau views on freedom

In mijn essay behandel ik het boek het Maatschappelijke verdrag van Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Ik heb voor dit boek gekozen, omdat Rousseau mij heel erg interesseerde toen ik hem tegenkwam in handboek 2, het oog in de storm geschreven door Ellen Geerlings. Ik was vooral aangetrokken door zijn denken over de staat, omdat ik mijzelf al lang afvraag waar het naar toe gaat met deze maatschappij waar wij nu in leven, en zo kwam ik bij het Maatschappelijke verdrag terecht. Rousseau is geboren in 1712 te Genève. Zijn moeder overleed kort na zijn geboorte en zijn vader leerde hem lezen en schrijven op goed niveau. Op zijn 17e bekeerde hij zich tot het katholicisme. En hij gaat naar Parijs in 1742. Zijn interesse naar de filosofie kwam in zijn 37e levensjaar toen hij de opstelwedstrijd: “Welke bijdrage heeft de versterkte positie van wetenschappen en kunsten geleverd aan de verfijning der zeden?” won en daardoor in 1 klap een beroemde schrijver is. Zijn interesse voor de filosofie groeit. Hij keert terug naar Genève en wordt weer protestants. De plotselinge aandacht die hij kreeg maakte het moeilijk om zijn visie weer te geven. Rousseau is een contractdenker, die de ongelijkheid in deze maatschappij ziet als een voortbrengsel van cultuurhistorische teruggang, doordat bezit en liefde naar onszelf toe ingang hebben gevonden in een meer oorspronkelijke natuurtoestand van samenleven. Er is een verschil tussen mensen die in de natuurtoestand leven en tussen mensen die leven in de maatschappij. Iemand moet de stad gaan bewonen en voordeel doen, en niet doen wat de rest van de stad doet. Rousseau zijn denken in het algemeen is dat de mens terug naar de natuur moet om helemaal vrij te zijn, maar hier bedoelt hij niet mee dat mensen weer in het wo... ... middle of paper ... ...us gevormd door een ieder die zich aan dit Maatschappelijke verdrag houdt. De staat zijn dus dezelfde mensen als de Soeverein. Dus de burgers bepalen wat ze willen en dan zijn zij ook de onderdanen die doen wat zij zelf willen, dus die de algemene wil volgen. Hierdoor ontstaat er voor iedereen vrijheid, omdat iedereen doet wat hij/zij zelf bepaald heeft. Er ontstaat natuurlijk ook zelfbehoud, omdat iedereen bepaald heeft en het dan ook iedereen zijn verantwoordelijkheid is dat elk individu beschermd wordt tegen aanvallen. Datgene wat de burgers (soeverein) bepaald over het belang worden wetten genoemd. Hierin staat de vrijheid van het volk en dit zijn geen wetten die de vrijheid willen beperken. Dit is volgens Rousseau ‘’de enige menselijke vorm die de vrijheid kan aannemen wanneer men het zelfbehoud als uitgangspunt neemt’’ (blz.20 Het Maatschappelijke verdrag) .

Show More
Related

  • Albert Camus Exile Analysis

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    Meursault is a man who chooses to observe people, rather than interact with them. He often people watches from his balcony in the evening, than actually going down to communicate with them. While he was in exile, he was forced to converse and discuss his feeling to strangers like his lawyer, and the chaplain of the prison. Due to being a severe introvert, the idea of discussing his problem to another person was foreign for him. The experience of opening himself up to others for help was alienating, and contradicted his personality of being a stranger to everyone. Camus writes, “He didn’t understand me, and he was sort of holding it against me. I felt the urge to reassure him that I was like everybody else, just like everybody else.” (Camus, 66) Meursault wanted to help his lawyer understand his point of view, but his nature is so closed off that he’s unable to put his feeling into words for others

    Read More

  • Rousseau’s Natural Man Favors his Sustenance

    698 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rousseau begins his discourse through a conceit regarding the difficulty of reconstructing the primitive man faultlessly. Much like the corroded status of Glaucus, over time man evolved to a barely recognizable state, and because of this Rousseau is only able to provide his judgment of the natural man (Rousseau 91). Some may believe that Rousseau makes a case for vegetarianism in his discourse, but any suggestion of vegetarianism seems to be less of what he intended to allude to and more about his personal stance. It is evident that Rousseau’s obvious compassion towards animals may have interrupted his main ideas about natural man.

    Read More

  • Rousseau View On General Will

    1487 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this essay I will be assessing the extent to which Rousseau and Wollstonecraft work contributed to the development of social thought and focus on the key ideas both of these researchers encountered, jean- Jacques Rousseau remains an important figure in the history of political philosophy and moral psychology, Rousseau views often very negative seeing philosophers as the past- hoc rationalizers of self interests, as apologist for various forms of tyranny, and as playing a role in the alienation of the modern individual from humanities natural impulse to compassion. The major concern that dominated Rousseau’s work was to find a way to preserve human freedom in a world where humans are increasingly dependent on other for the satisfaction of

    Read More

  • Rousseau’s Social Contract

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rousseau’s political theory revolves around a central idea that in order to deal with moral or political inequality (“social” inequality), man must move out of the state of nature and establish a social contract, “a form of association which defends and protects… the person and goods of each associate, and by the means of which each one, while uniting with all, nevertheless obeys only himself and remains as free as before” (Rousseau 432). Although Rousseau’s plan pledges to protect individual liberty, the plan rests on the legislation of the “general will” and the successful unity of a “body politic,” both of which are vaguely defined and become too concerned with state interest.

    Read More

  • The Social Contract: Rousseau

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the height of the enligtenment era mid 17 th century Jean-Jacques Rousseau modified and gave new impetus to John Locke's idea of social freedom through his book called The Social Contract.In the course of his book Rousseau counter argues not only Locke's perception of freedom but also his own perception through his text to let the reader arrive to his own conclusion ,is freedom really free? Rousseau is very insightful in his scriptures and trys to make his book easier to read and understand by subcatoogerizesing his chapters to key points that he thinks as followed: Right of the strongest, Slavery, Social compact and the Sovereign.

    Read More

  • The Perfect Woman: Rousseau and Wollstonecraft

    1741 Words  | 4 Pages

    The charge of sexism on Rousseau and the badge of feminism on Wollstonecraft render their arguments elusive, as if Rousseau wrote because he was a sexist and Wollstonecraft because she was a feminist, which is certainly not true. Their work evinced here by the authors questioned the state of man and woman in relation to their conception of what it should be, what its purpose, and what its true species. With an answer to these questions, one concludes the inhumanity of mankind in society, and the other the inhumanity of mankind in their natural, barbarous state. The one runs from society, to the comforts and direction of nature; the other away from nature, to the reason and virtue of society. The argument presented may be still elusive, and the work in vain, but the point not missed, perhaps.

    Read More

  • Self Analysis Of Rousseau's Confessions

    1279 Words  | 3 Pages

    Rousseau’s Confessions are a recounting of past events in his life, and throughout, Rousseau attempts to resent his “unique” personality. In this attempt, he includes numerous descriptions of people and things that he has an affection for. It is through the vivid descriptions of his affections, Rousseau reveals his affections are the driving force in the creation of his identity. Discerning one’s loves as the driver of personality allows Rousseau to paint a clearer picture of his true self; as, this system based on affections allows him to replace vague concrete language and descriptors with actions of a person that readers are able to draw broader conclusions from.

    Read More

  • The Stranger: Changes in Meursault

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    Diction shows the difference in Meursault’s views and beliefs as he spends more and more time in prison, adapts to his new lifestyle, and understands the future of his life. Camus diction displays Meursault’s change toward growth in self-reflection, realization of the purposelessness of his life, and unimportance of time.

    Read More

  • The Unemotional Meursault in The Stranger by Albert Camus

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Albert Camus’ novel, The Stranger, the protagonist Meursault is a character who has definite values and opinions concerning the society in which he lives.  His self-inflicted alienation from society and all its habits and customs is clear throughout the book.  The novel itself is an exercise in absurdity that challenges the reader to face the nagging questions concerning the meaning of human existence. Meursault is an existentialist character who views his life in an unemotional and noncommittal manner, which enhances his obvious opinion that in the end life is utterly meaningless.

    Read More

  • Rousseau's Critique on Natural Man vs. Modern Man

    889 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rousseau, in the Second Discourses, examines the differences between natural and modern man. As used in his writing, natural man refers to mankind unfettered by social norms, morals, obligations, and duties. Modern man, however, is bound by these factors. Conformity with these factors allows modern man to experience virtue, whereas non-conformity results in vices. In the passage in question, Rousseau explores how natural man is better for himself and society because natural man has no moral relationship or obligations to other men and no subjugated inequality. He then offers a solution to how modern man can return to the natural state.

    Read More

  • Rousseau and the Positive Theory of Liberty

    2262 Words  | 5 Pages

    Liberty impacts two main areas of political thought; the state of nature and the social contract. This essay will examine wither or not it is proper to characterize Jean Jacque Rousseau as holding a positive theory of liberty. To determine to what extends this is true the following areas must be taken into account and explored; the definitions of liberty and freedom, Isaiah Berlin’s concept of positive and negative liberty, Rousseau understands of Liberty and also why Rousseau’s theory can be characterised as positive liberty. The main argument of this essay is that Rousseau does hold a positive theory of liberty.

    Read More

  • The Character of Meursault in The Stranger (The Outsider)

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Camus writes in a simple, direct, and uncomplicated style. The choice of language serves well to convey the thoughts of Meursault. The story is told in the first person and traces the development of the narrator's attitude toward himself and the rest of the world. Through this sort of simple grammatical structure, Camus gives the reader the opportunity to become part of the awareness of Meursault. In Part I, what Meursault decides to mention are just concrete facts. He describes objects and people, but makes no attempt to analyze them. Since he makes no effort to analyze things around him, that job is given to the reader. The reader therefore creates his own meaning for Meursault's actions. When he is forced to confront his past and reflect on his experiences, he attempts to understand the reasons for existence. At first, Meursault makes references to his inability to understand what's happening around him, but often what he tells us seems the result of his own indifference or detachment. He is frequently inattentive to his surroundings. His mind wanders in the middle of conversations. Rarely does he make judgments or express opinions about what he or other characters are doing. Meursault walks through life largely unaware of the effect of his actions on others.

    Read More

  • Voetbal Essay

    2466 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...in het amateurvoetbal is niet met één theorie te verklaren, blijkt uit observaties en interviews met respondenten. Bij het voorkomen en genezen van het wangedrag moet vooral de context waar het gedrag zich plaatsvindt goed bekeken worden. Door een bepaalde context kan het extreme gedrag namelijk nog extra benadrukt worden. Tegenwoordig zijn de spelers het steeds minder met elkaar eens wat leidt tot wangedrag dat met de laatste jaren alleen maar steeds excessiever is geworden.

    Read More

  • Biography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    1352 Words  | 3 Pages

    Biography of Jean-Jacques Rousseau MAN is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself

    Read More

  • Social Contract

    675 Words  | 2 Pages

    This last step determines the heavily communitarian perspective that Rousseau adopts. If we can only be fully human under the auspices of the social contract, then that contract is more important than the individuals that agree to it. After all,...

    Read More

More about Rousseau Essay

Open Document