Understanding Rousseau

Why are people, who need each other so much, always in opposition? 

This introduction to Rousseau’s thought, based on his four major works: Discourse on the Sciences and Arts, Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men, The Social Contract and Emile or On Education, shows how this man, who went against the grain of his time, was a precursor. Rousseau was one of the few thinkers of his time to denounce the idea of progress as the source of human corruption. For him, it was a matter of rethinking and changing political society, with the aim of human emancipation from all powers.

 

Marie-Pierre Frondziak teaches philosophy and runs the Université populaire d’Evreux. She contributed to the collective work Le temps vécu (SEDES, 2013) and the Dictionnaire des inégalités (Armand Colin, 2014).

Laura Acquaviva is an illustrator and graphic designer. Published by Max Milo, her illustrations include Comprendre Foucault (Jean-Clet Martin, 2014) and Machiavelli (Denis Collin, 2015).