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Rousseau's views on human nature
Rousseau- essay
Jean jacques rousseau second discourse
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In Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on The Origins of Inequality, Rousseau is arguing to his readers about the natural state of a man, and how it connects back to inequality. Rousseau argues his ideas of amour propre; living in the eyes of other people and amour de soi; self-preservation. I believe that Rousseau’s analysis of civilization is in fact true, I do agree with his analysis. In the next paragraphs I will be discussing how Rousseau has developed amour propre and amour de soi, as well as his analysis on civilization. Throughout the essay I will also be giving a few pieces of evidence that support my thesis from peer reviewed journals. Throughout Rousseau’s book he is constantly referring to man as individuals. Rousseau believes that man is independent, and that no man should so rich while another man is so poor. Rousseau’s beliefs on this is due to the belief that a man is stronger as one, their state of mentality and physically is stronger without a family. Although he sees their are some benefits in having a whole family, it is more natural and stronger to stay as one. Nature is simply happiness, solidarity, and basic needs, not civilization and the division of labor. You can rely on …show more content…
As I discussed this idea of Rousseau with classmates, I soon realized how true it is. A baby is not born with the intentions to kill, nor are they born with the inventions of making their parents suffer. A child actually learns these traits, their parents may not teach them to kill, but society’s acceptance of horror movies are a simple way children can misinterpret norms. Everything that society does is like a candy store where a child gets to pick and choose what flashy information or memoires they want to retain. You cannot shield a child form the reality of the world, that would take away Rousseau’s very belief of
It is evident that A Tale Of Two Cities written by Charles Dickens is told in Rousseau's perspective. Rousseau believed that people were born with a blank slate or Tabula Rasa and that their experiences form who they are. People who were brought up with bad experiences and hate show evil throughout their life. While people who were brought up with good experiences and love show goodness throughout their life. The Aristocrats were raised to believe that it was okay for them to abuse their power over the peasants. While the Peasants developed anger and hatred towards their oppressors. As a result the peasants committed heinous actions against the aristocrats. Rousseau's theory is clearly shown in the lives of Charles Darnay, Madame Defarge,
Rousseau writes that as individuals have more contact with each other small syndicates begin to form, this necessitates the need to develop ways of communication through language, language then contributes to the development of reason. Rousseau uses the argument that civilisation brings with it maladies that would not exist in the ‘state of nature.’ In the new civilised society human beings develop negative motivating principles for human actions. Rousseau calls this the “impetuosity of amour-propre” which leads an individual to make more of himself than any other, in other words compassion drives men to seek domination over their fellow human beings as a way of enhancing their own happiness.
Inequality is an issue which has been analyzed by political thinkers for centuries. Some thinkers have long been supporting the subordination of one gender, race, or class over another with religious, moral, ethical, and scientific factors to support their claims; others, however, argue against any subordination of any decree. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), a famous philosopher of the eighteenth century, defined inequality in two parts: natural and social. Natural inequalities are the differences in bodily and mental strengths. Social inequalities, however, are the differences that exist between individuals in wealth, power and honor. For Rousseau, social inequalities are justified when they are able to reflect natural inequalities.
Rousseau, Jean, and Maurice Cranston. A discourse on inequality. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1984.
The essential argument within the Rousseau last paragraph of Note 9 is whether not is the best options for people to go to their original state as human beings. In Rousseau’s words, “….must destroy societies, annihilate thine and mine. and return to live in the forests with bears?” (last paragraph on pg.80). According to Rousseau, this action will help people, today, to restore peace to their lives where they don’t have to worry about daily problems and leave all the corruption behind. Rousseau come to realize that human beings, who experiences passion, needs structure and rules to help them survive. Especially a government that helps protects them from harm and sickness. He stated “..men like me, whose passions have forever destroyed their simplicity, who can no longer feed on grass and acorn[s], nor get by without laws and chiefs…” (pg. 80, sentence 5, last paragraph). Rousseau goes on explaining how mankind can not
After learning of Rousseau's philosophies, I agree with almost everything that he believes. When looking at the Social Contract, I believe he is one hundred percent correct with saying that people have a part in making the general will and should not let private or personal interest get in the way. Now when it comes to his views on education, I have to slightly disagree with him. I don't believe children should be left to entirely teach themselves. They need supervision from the adults that have been through life and that have knowledge to pass on.
The self respect of all humans depends on assurance that the government they obey has a moral right to be obeyed otherwise what if it turns from authority to naked force. Humans have been offended by power by a demand of obedience unsupported by any reference to moral right that has caused feeling of offense and disobedience. Political obligation is based on consent subordinates government to freedom through “general will” and “will of all”. According to Rousseau “will of all” is sum of all particular wills that considers only the common interest, which must be directed toward the good of everyone. The point that human beings are essentially united tells that a government can legitimately claim obedience only when its commands represent the true, ultimate interest of all the people through general will. The theory of the general upholds that even though a law does not rest on individual’s consent, it may yet command contributions to individuals’ real good and thus enhance his/her
Jean-Jacques Rousseau describes the origins of humanity in his book, Discourse on Inequality. Although Rousseau takes a hypothetical approach rather than a factual, historical approach to surmising the history of humankind, he effectively analyzes the foundations of human inequality and whether it is sanctioned by natural law. Throughout the book, Rousseau strives to outline the history of human development, beginning from the state of nature to the establishment of civil society in order to determine the origins and consequences of inequality and to question the legitimacy of political institutions.
In Rousseau’s book “A Discourse On Inequality”, he looks into the question of where the general inequality amongst men came from. Inequality exists economically, structurally, amongst different generations, genders, races, and in almost all other areas of society. However, Rousseau considers that there are really two categories of inequality. The first is called Natural/Physical, it occurs as an affect of nature. It includes inequalities of age,, health, bodily strength, and the qualities of the mind and soul. The second may be called Moral/Political inequality, this basically occurs through the consent of men. This consists of the privileges one group may have over another, such as the rich over the poor.
[1] Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. Discourse on the Origin of Inequality. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Company, 1987. Print.
As Rousseau seems to be further more disgusted with human society, he feels that the savage life is more attracting. Kant suggests an entirely different view. Although he agrees with the problems Rousseau finds in our current state, he feels that society is much more intriguing and full of room for growth. Human beings, unlike savage men, have the capacity for reasoning, and possess emotions that paint a world full of intellect. He believes that we can work toward an ultimate goal that will be much more desirable than living in nature. This goal emphasizes the idea of “a civil society based on rights that maximizes the freedom of all individuals insofar as the freedom of each individual is compatible with the freedom of all”, federation of peoples, and an end to war. Along with the constant growing and seeking of knowledge, he feels this goal is much more desirable than reverting back to the state of
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, and Maurice Cranston. A Discourse on Inequality. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin, 1984. Print.
In his Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau hypothesizes the natural state of man to understand where inequality commenced. To analyze the nature of man, Rousseau “strip[ped] that being, thus constituted, of all the supernatural gifts he could have received, and of all the artificial faculties he could have acquired only through a lengthy process,” so that all that was left was man without any knowledge or understanding of society or the precursors that led to it (Rousseau 47). In doing so, Rousseau saw that man was not cunning and devious as he is in society today, but rather an “animal less strong than some, less agile than others, but all in all, the most advantageously organized of all” (47). Rousseau finds that man leads a simple life in the sense that “the only goods he knows in the un...
Rousseau’s depiction of the noble savage in Discourse on the Origin of Inequality separates man from society in order to argue that modernity has come with a cost to man’s natural state. Rousseau explores the uncivilized state of nature to form “conjectures…concerning what the human race could have become, if it had been left to itself” (Rousseau 17). Through his conjectures, Rousseau’s posits that the progress of man is detrimental to his well-being. Nevertheless, the formations of civil and, later, political societies were responsible for “perfect[ing] human reason while deteriorating the species” (Rousseau 43). He finds that the acquisition of knowledge is dangerous, and man is better off naïve about the true extent of the world (Rousseau 31). Aside from an instinct for self-preservation, the noble savage comes equipped with pity. In his natural state, this pity exists as amour de soi, or simply, good intentions. Without this pity, “men w...
While reading Rousseau and analyzing his theory, it is important to note how Emmanuel Saccarelli truly missed some of Rousseau’s major arguments that defined his position on politics. As well as his malcontent with certain actions regarding man and his social contract with the government. Saccarelli avoids most of Rousseau’s key arguments specifically in regards to “The Origin of Inequality”; furthermore, the importance of the deeper meaning behind the arguments. Not using the argument and creating a theory to further prove his point. The two major arguments that he didn’t fully understand were: first, using claiming Rousseau was praising Machiavelli and his theory; second, using Rousseau’s opinion on family bonds to further prove his argument