JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU IDs for EXAM 3

1st Discourse

Child of Nature – Rousseau’s idea of the natural man, who is innocent, moral, and guided by pity, living free from society’s corrupting influence.

2nd Discourse

his essay Discourse on the Origin of Inequality argues that social institutions and private property corrupt natural human goodness, creating inequality and competition.

Hobbes State of Nature

humans are naturally selfish and in conflict; life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

Locke State of Nature

humans are generally reasonable and moral, with natural rights to life, liberty, and property, but conflicts can arise over property.

Rousseau State of Nature

humans are good and compassionate by nature, guided by pity, and society/civilization corrupts them.

Natural Equalities

we don’t have the same traits

Two animal drives

Self-preservation & Pity (Pitié)

Self-preservation

act to stay alive; natural man will be passive

Pity (Pitié)

we see someone suffering and we almost feel their suffering too; a natural feeling that makes us care about others’ suffering and guides moral behavior.

Two human capacities

Will (Soul) & Perfectibility

Will (Soul)

humans have the ability to make choices and act freely, unlike instinct-driven animals.

Perfectibility

humans are capable of growth and development, especially mentally and morally, unlike animals; it’s a key part of how humans improve over time.

Lacks of Notion

things humans don’t have in the state of nature: language, others, time , misery, love and romance

Language

no complex communication yet

Others

no organized society or many people around

Time

no awareness of past/future, only present

Misery

no extreme suffering, needs are simple

Love and romance

no complex relationships or desire for possession/positional love

Perfectly Selfish

Rousseau’s idea that humans can act entirely out of self-interest, but in the state of nature, they usually aren’t; society can push people toward selfishness.

Purely Selfish

acting only for one’s own benefit without concern for others; Rousseau contrasts this with humans’ natural pity and compassion.

Metallurgy

development of metal, which allowed tools, weapons, and technology to advance.

Agriculture

huge stores of food, leading to surplus food and the growth of settlements and societies.

Stage One

humans live in the state of nature: simple, free, guided by pity, and without complex society or private property.

Stage Two

humans develop society, agriculture, and metallurgy, creating inequality, competition, and dependence, which corrupts natural goodness.

Social Constructivism

a certain amount of what we expect from men and women; society shapes expectations and roles for men and women, rather than these roles being purely natural.

Amore-propre

self-love (self-like) based on others’ opinions, leading to pride or envy.

Amore-suave

natural self-love, caring for your own survival and well-being.

Self-consciousness

knowing you exist and how others see you.

Property (proper)

seen as a system of rules that society creates to define, protect, and regulate ownership.

The Hobbesian State of Nature

humans are naturally selfish and in constant conflict; without government, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

Natural → Age of Noble Savagery → Civilized

humans start innocent and free, develop basic skills and society (noble savagery), then become corrupted as civilization grows.