Jean-Jacques Rousseau: the main ideas. Jean-Jacques Rousseau: biography, quotes

Jean-Jacques Rousseau refers to those philosophers who will for a long time cause a discussion. Does he belong to the galaxy of thinkers of the Enlightenment or, on the contrary, to its most irreconcilable critics? Was he preparing the ground for the French Revolution, or did he do anything to prevent it from happening? Many biographers broke their spears, arguing about who Jean-Jacques Rousseau was. The main ideas of this philosopher, who belonged simultaneously to the schools of naturalism and sensationalism, we will consider in this article. After all, it was this man who realized that progress brings misfortune, and despotism gives rise to the rule of the majority. In a situation where the majority of people lived in poverty, he cherished the idea of universal equality.

The views of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: what lies at their basis

The main motive of the philosopher's ideas is the demand to bring society out of the state in which it is now. That is, from the situation of general corruption. His peer educators claimed that it is possible, it is only right to educate princes and rulers. And also to establish a republic where everyone will receive equal material benefits and political rights. Rousseau believed that the main principle of a correct society lies in the correct moral thinking. The philosopher said that "every man is virtuous" when his "private will in everything corresponds to the common will." Morality for him was the main yardstick of everything. Therefore, he believed that without virtue, no real freedom exists. But his life was like a refutation of his whole philosophy.

Biography. Youth and the beginning of a career

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose main ideas we analyze, was born in the city of Geneva and, by his religious beliefs as a child, was a Calvinist. His mother died during childbirth, and his father fled the city, as he was the victim of criminal prosecution. From an early age he was apprenticed, but neither a notary nor an engraver, in whose subordination the future philosopher was, did not like him. The fact is that he preferred to read books instead of drinking, and not work. He was often punished, and he decided to flee. He came to a neighboring area - Savoy, which was Catholic. There, not without the participation of Madame de Varan, her first patron, he became a Catholic. So began the troubles of the young thinker. He works as a lackey in an aristocratic family, but does not take root there and goes back to Madame de Varan. With her help, he goes to seminary, throws it, wanders around France for two years, often spending the night in the open air, and again returns to his former love. Even the presence of one more admirer of "mother" does not bother him. For several years, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose biography in his youth was so different from his subsequent views, then leaves, then returns to Madame de Varan and lives with her in Paris, in Chambéry and elsewhere.

Maturity

Rousseau eventually found it impossible to remain a protégé for the aging lady. He tried to earn, but failed. He did not manage to train the children, nor to work as the secretary of the ambassador. With all employers, he had problems. Misanthropy gradually penetrates into the character of this person. With people, he does not converge. Nature - this is what begins to fascinate such a lover of seclusion, as Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The biography of the philosopher suddenly makes a sharp turn - he marries a maid, serving in one of the hotels. It was a rough, vulgar woman, whom he completely disliked, but she fed him. He gave all his children to the orphanage, claiming later that he had no money to support the family. He continued to work on various temporary positions, and now, being a secretary, he entered the Society of Encyclopaedists, who gathered at home. One of his first friends was Denis Diderot. The latter was often persecuted for political views. Once, when Jean-Jacques went to visit Diderot in custody, he read in the newspaper a competitive announcement about a prize for the best work on whether the science and art are useful to the society. The young man wrote an essay exposing culture and civilization. Ironically, the first place was given to him, Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The main ideas of his philosophy were expressed in this text. So began his biography as a thinker.

Glory

Since then, Russo has lived a brilliant ten years. He wrote music and operettas, which they put on the royal stage. He was fashionable in high society. And since his main idea was the rejection of his contemporary culture, he renounced the principles of a rich and prosperous life, began to dress simply (and even rudely) and began to vulgarly and insultingly communicate with his aristocratic friends. He earned a living by copying notes. Although secular ladies showered him with gifts, all the presents were given to his greedy wife. Soon the philosopher wrote another work, which became popular. The political ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau appeared for the first time in this work. Arguing about how inequality occurred, the thinker considered that everything that is based on the life of modern society - state, laws, division of labor - all this led to a moral fall. One of the connoisseurs of Rousseau, Mme. D'Epine, built for him in her possession a special "Hermitage" in the woods where the philosopher could meditate alone. However, after an unsuccessful novel with a young married aristocrat, leading to a scandal among the Enisclopedists, Rousseau breaks with his companions.

Problems

The philosopher finds refuge with the Duke of Luxembourg, where he lives for four more years and writes many works. One of them brings the wrath of the Church to him, and he runs away from the judgment of the Paris parliament. Hiding himself in his native Switzerland, he sees that he is not welcome here either - the government of the Bernese canton expels the philosopher. A new refuge is provided to him by a Prussian king - Rousseau spends another three years in the village of Motier. However, later, the violent character makes him quarrel with all the surrounding residents. Trying to start a new life, he comes to Geneva and again accepts Calvinism, but he can not get along peacefully with representatives of this confession, and begins to quarrel with them. The apogee of these problems was the conflict with another "master of doom" of that era - Voltaire, who also lived near Geneva, in the estate of Ferne. The mocking rival with the help of pamphlets survives Jean-Jacques from Motier, and Rousseau is forced to flee to England. He accepts the invitation of another philosopher, Hume. But with him does not get to live, and after a while a new friend declares Rousseau crazy.

Wanderings and death

The philosopher returns to Paris, again wanders, finding refuge from one friend, then from another. Voltaire begins to publish pamphlets about the horrible life of a man named Russo Jean-Jacques. The philosophy and actions of this "hypocrite" absolutely do not coincide with each other, notes the opponent. In response, Rousseau writes the famous Confession, trying to justify his past and present. But his mental illness is progressing. His health is rapidly deteriorating, and soon, according to one version, during a concert organized in his honor, the philosopher suddenly dies. His grave on the island of Yves was a place of pilgrimage for fan thinkers who believed that Rousseau fell victim to public ostracism.

Rousseau Jean-Jacques. The philosophy of escapism

As already mentioned, the first works of the thinker were competitive "Reasonings" about art, science and the origin of inequality. Subsequently, he wrote such works as "Social Contract", "Emil, or Education of the Senses" and "New Eloise". Some of his works are written in the form of an essay, and some like novels. It was the latter most famous Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The basic ideas about exposing civilization and culture, from which it is necessary to escape, expressed by him in his youth, find their natural continuation. The main thing in man, as the philosopher believed, is not intelligence, but feelings. The main instincts of a moral being are Conscience and Genius. Unlike reason, they are not mistaken, although they are often not realized. The Renaissance, which everyone admires, has led to a real decline in society, because the sciences, the arts and the development of industry, which began precisely at that time, led to alienation of people from each other and the emergence of artificial needs. And the task of this philosopher is to make man one again and, accordingly, happy.

Historical views

But not only the Renaissance and its achievements were denounced by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The theory of a social contract is one of his main philosophical conclusions. Criticizing contemporary political ideas, he contradicts the then popular Hobbes. In the primeval epoch, Rousseau says, there was no "war of all against all", but there was a real "golden age". The modern fallen society begins with the emergence of private property - as soon as someone staked out the plot and declared: "This is mine," the child's innocence of humanity has disappeared. Of course, science can not be reversed, but progress can be slowed as such. To do this, it is necessary to conclude a social contract and create a republic of equal small proprietors. All the issues there will be decided not by the separation of powers, but by referendums.

What should be the person

Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote a lot about education. Man, first of all, must be a natural being, for all his basic inclinations and abilities are conditioned by nature. Since feelings, as we have already explained, are the main thing in people, then it is up to them to develop. Superfluous reasoning only tires, but does not exaggerate. The real dignity of man comes from the heart, and not from the mind. People try not to hear the voice of conscience, but this is the call of Nature itself. In his pursuit of civilization, man forgot about this and deaf. Therefore, he should return to his ideal, represented by the image of a "noble savage," the immediacy of the senses, and not the unnecessary demands of artificial etiquette.

Enlightenment and education

The views of the philosopher are full of contradictions. Falling down on culture and science, Rousseau, however, always enjoyed their fruits and in the education of man recognized their need and undoubted merit. He believed, like many of his contemporaries, that if rulers listen to philosophers, society will also become more perfect. But this is not the only contradiction that was typical of such a thinker as Jean-Jacques Rousseau. The pedagogical ideas of the philosopher impose hopes on the enlightenment, which he so criticized. It is this that can make possible the education of worthy citizens, and without this both rulers and subordinates will be only slaves and liars. But it should be remembered that the childhood of a person is his recollection of the lost paradise of the golden age, and try to take as much as possible from nature.

Virtue is the basis of everything

Although the life of the philosopher did not correspond to his views, morality plays an important role in his works. Emotions and sympathy, from the point of view of the thinker, are the main foundation of virtue, and the latter lies at the heart of man and society. So thought Russo Jean-Jacques. The philosopher 's statements about morality, nature and religion are very similar. Both virtue and faith must be subordinated to nature, he said. Only then will society be ideal when harmony with the interests of all members of the society will be achieved between the inner world of man, his moral, emotional and rational components. Therefore, individuals must overcome their moral alienation from each other and not be like politicians who "are more like not rabid wolves ... than Christians ... wishing to return their opponents to the path of truth."

The influence of Rousseau on his and subsequent centuries was unquestionable. His ideas about opposing egoism and virtue, justice and deceit of false laws, greed of proprietors and innocence of the poor, and dreams of returning to nature were picked up by romantics, fighters for better social order and social rights, as seekers of solidarity and brotherhood.