Jean Jacques Rousseau Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Jean Jacques Rousseau?

Jean Jacques Rousseau was a prominent Swiss philosopher, writer and political theorist of the 18th century. He is often credited as one of the most influential thinkers in modern European history and his ideas had an immense influence on subsequent generations of philosophers and social theorists. Born in Geneva, Switzerland on June 28, 1712 to Isaac Rousseau, a watchmaker with Huguenot sympathies, Rousseau grew up in modest circumstances. He received little formal education but developed a deep love for music at an early age.Rousseau’s major contribution to philosophy was his redefinition of authority away from external sources such as religion or government towards internal forces like human nature and reason. This concept is known as Social Contract Theory which he introduced in his book The Social Contract (1762). In this work he argued that society should be based on voluntary agreement among individuals rather than by force or tradition alone. Moreover, he suggested that all members of society should have equal rights regardless of their class or gender status. These ideas were revolutionary at the time they were formulated and would later become fundamental tenants of democracy around the world.In addition to The Social Contract, Rousseau wrote several other influential works including Discourse on Inequality (1754), Emile: Or On Education (1762) and Confessions (1782). His works explored topics such as freedom and oppression within societies; justice versus injustice; morality; poverty; ideal parenting practices; truthfulness; religious tolerance amongst others. All these topics remain highly relevant today due to their timelessness and powerful impact upon humanity then and now. Through analyzing these concepts from a philosophical point-of-view Rousseau provided readers with valuable insights into how we can better our lives individually while also creating more harmonious societies overall by respecting one another’s differences despite our shared humanity. In conclusion Jean Jacques Rousseau was not only responsible for introducing key concepts related to individual freedom but also providing us with valuable insight into how we might strive for greater harmony within our own communities through respecting each other’s unique perspectives while still striving collectively towards common goals based upon mutual understanding instead of violence or oppressive measures aimed at maintaining compliance without regard towards those marginalized voices who are otherwise unheard when it comes to decision making processes related to policy formation etc.