Rousseau - life works & influence

Rousseau - life works & influence

1. Unique position - philosophe but outsider of movement.

   • Individuality to his thought
   • Gives precedence to feeling over reason.
   • Against progress as it is linked to science & reason.
   • Mainstream yet radical thinker

2. Based on feeling, emotion and nature

   • Reference to Revolution = his legacy
   • Precursor to romanticism.
   • Redefines basis for love

3. Exiled - writing was a threat to constitution/religion

4. Nature & politics

   • What is nature / man's natural state
   • Sceptical about progress & civilisation
   • Society should be defined according to nature principle
   • Need to show new moral order of society
   • Focus on individual freedom

5. Nature is starting point of education

   • Introspection is the source of his self places view of self at centre of his thought
   • Self-generated nature & morality