Jean Jacques Rousseau

Question 1

when was he born?

Answer 1

1712

Question 2

how did he achieve fame?

Answer 2

publication of the new heloise

Question 3

Emile

Answer 3

important treatise on education

Question 4

enlightenment thought

Answer 4

believed to be too decadent

Question 5

2 Writings

Answer 5

Discourse on Arts and Sciences
Discourse on Inequality

Question 6

greatest contribution

Answer 6

Social Contract where he defines general will

Question 7

In second discourse, how does he view man?

Answer 7

as generally good

Question 8

what is the corrupting force in second discourse?

Answer 8

civilization
opposite of what liberals would say

Question 9

what would liberals say about state of nature and social contracts

Answer 9

primarily employed to justify certain political institutions

Question 10

what does man have in the state of nature?

Answer 10

absence of reason

Question 11

what does he not want to make man?

Answer 11

“philosopher before making him a man”

Question 12

does he believe humans possess emotional maturity?

Answer 12

no

Question 13

his definition of natural

Answer 13

how humans and the earth would exist w/o any influence of civilization (proper type of social evolution)

Question 14

does formal moral system develop in state of nature?

Answer 14

no

Question 15

will everyone resort to violence without moral system?

Answer 15

no because natural pity makes it so humans won’t want to harm others

Question 16

humans happiness

Answer 16

lies between desires and a person’s ability to fulfill them

Question 17

what do you need to do to be happy?

Answer 17

limit your desires or increase you ability to satisfy them

Question 18

Does Rousseau prefer to limit desires or satisfy them?

Answer 18

limit desires

Question 19

what happens by trying to increase your ability to satisfy desires?

Answer 19

you increase human power which corrupts

Question 20

what does Rousseau say about the transition from state of nature to civil society?

Answer 20

strips people of their innocence

Question 21

3 states of being

Answer 21

1. original state of nature - innocence
2. corrupting existing society
3. reformed society built on proper political principles

Question 22

4 stages of transition from state of nature to existing society

Answer 22

1. the village
2. intro to property
3. formation of gov
4. gov -> tyranny

Question 23

Central question of social contract

Answer 23

how to get to reformed society

Question 24

how do we restore humanities innocence?

Answer 24

reduce human inequality

Question 25

what is the key to good governance?

Answer 25

govern by general will

Question 26

to be governed by general will is…

Answer 26

to be governed by what is good for the entire political body

Question 27

how is generality defined?

Answer 27

it should work if the collective will is general in 2 ways origin and object

Question 28

origin

Answer 28

laws must be made by all citizens - Rousseau requires direct participation

Question 29

object

Answer 29

laws must concern all citizens - similar to modern language of “equal protection”

Question 30

sovereign

Answer 30

who makes laws - which is everyone in rousseaus case

Question 31

what should the generality of object serve?

Answer 31

publics interest

Question 32

2 conditions to advance the interests of everyone

Answer 32

small homogenous society
virtuous citizens

Question 33

small homogenous

Answer 33

there will be less inherent conflict

Question 34

virtuous

Answer 34

the citizenry can overcome conflict that does arise rather simply

Question 35

general will

Answer 35

requires citizens to be virtuous and recognize what’s best for society, the will of all reflects the particular interests of individuals