Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, famous philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau was. The poor overwrite, last exhale mother shortly after birth. Apparently, bad luck continued to follow: at the age of ten years his father was expelled and left Geneva and Rousseau lived alone. Rousseau himself then left Geneva in 1728 when he was hit sixteen. Many lay seawam Rousseau-awamnya, not known his name altogether,
wandering from one place to another, and working in one place and moved to work elsewhere. In between that he was involved with many women romance, among others, with Therese Levasseur who eventually had five children outside of marriage. He put five children were in the dormitory children who do not get caught father-mother. (When the age of fifty years, he married Therese really).

In the year 1750 - at the age of thirty-eight - Rousseau suddenly become famous. Academy of Dijon offered a reward of the best essay on the subject matter: whether the arts and sciences do have benefits for humanity, managed to be first prize. After that his name soar. Streak comes other works, including the Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (1755); La nouvelle Heloise (1761); Emile (1762); The Social Contract (1762); Confessions (1770) which have all been catapulted his fame. Moreover, because Rousseau likes music, he composed two operas each galantes Les Muses and Le Devin du village.

Although originally a writer friend of Rousseau French reformers - including Denis Diderot and Jean d'Alambert, their thoughts immediately deviate from the road with their sharp. Because Rousseau Voltaire opposed plans to establish a theater in Geneva (Rousseau insisted that the theater is a school of moral harm), Rousseau hated all out by Voltaire. Besides that, the image of a very different sense of Rousseau with the rationalism of Voltaire and the Encyclopedist. Beginning in 1762 and beyond, Rousseau faced difficulties with the authorities because of his political writings. Several close friends began to move away from him and at the same time that Rousseau was experiencing mental disorders. Although some people are still friendly with him, Rousseau was hostile to them because it had become suspicious and rude. During the twenty years of his life, he is generally a hateful person and disappointed and not happy gloom-ridden. He died in 1778 in France Ermenonville.

Rousseau's writings they say is an important factor for the growth of socialism, romanticism, totalitarianism, anti-rationalism, and the precursor to the outbreak of the French Revolution and was a contributor for modern ideas to democracy and equality. He is also considered a significant contribution in terms of the influence of modern educational theory. It has long been problematic in the theoretical field that humans almost at essence a product of natural surroundings (because it is easy to change as well as sensitive). This assumption is also derived from the writings of Rousseau. And of course, he also owns stock in the notion that modern technology and society's something bad. He also introduced the fantasy of "quality of primitiveness." At first Rousseau never used the title, and also he is not an admirer of the indigenous population in the islands of the southern ocean, or even the Indians. Thoughts about the so-called "quality of primitiveness" had been known long before the time of Rousseau, and the famous English poet, John Dryden, was using the exact title so more than a century before Rousseau was born into the world. Rousseau nor the opinion and attitude that society is basically a jerk. On the contrary, he always emphasized that the community is necessary for humans.

And would like Rousseau who first sparked the idea of "social contract" that was completely false. This idea was discussed at length by John Locke whose work was published long before Rousseau was born. Evidence indicates, the famous British philosopher Thomas Hobbes had also discussed this idea (social contract) even before John Locke.

How did Rousseau's rejection of the particulars of technology? It is plain and clear that two centuries after Rousseau's death witnessed the growth of extraordinary technology. Rousseau's opposition to the technology so clearly futile. If one feels there grumbled today's anti-technology, it's not the opposite of Rousseau's writings but unintended consequences of technology use in uncontrolled end of this century.

Many thinkers have suggested that environmental factors have an important significance in the formation of human character, so I thought there was no reason for linking this with Rousseau's mind because after all it becomes public opinion. So is nationalism, already a major driving factor long before Rousseau's life and his role in the growth of nationalism is not just how.

Is Rousseau's writings paved the way toward the French Revolution? Certain extent is undeniable, and perhaps more important than what is contributed by Diderot and d 'Alambert. However, the influence of Voltaire whose writings appear first, more numerous, more clear direction, just more linked in many ways.

It is true, Rousseau an anti-rationalist measured from the characters, especially against the famous French writers of his day. However, anti-rationalist is not all new stuff; political and social beliefs we often departed from the emotions and prejudices, even though we try to call rational than one reason to convince them.

However, if the influence of Rousseau is not assuming his admirers, however, quite widespread. Because, quite true that he is an important factor in the growth of romanticism in literature, and its influence in the field of educational theory has proved the following pemraktekannya significance. Rousseau minimize the significance of children's education through reading books, because he considered more effective learning through experience. (Incidentally, Rousseau was a staunch advocate for the baby to drink milk). Sounds amazing how a man who left his own son had the courage give lectures about how to care for and raise children, but do not doubt that Rousseau's ideas had a profound influence on modern educational theory.

Many interesting and original thoughts contained in the political writings of Rousseau. But the most striking of all was the passion burning of terjelmanya equal rights and status, and feelings that bring the existing structure of society is something intolerable injustice. ( "Man is born free and everywhere he was shackled by the chains"). Rousseau himself did not advocate violence, but obviously he's teasing others chose violent revolution to achieve the improvement level by level.

Rousseau's view of private property (and also on various subject matter) often conflict with each other. Once he described private property rights is "the most sacred rights of all civil rights." But, can also say that the attacks on private property have a greater effect on the attitude of the readers than the comments praising and flattering tone. Rousseau is one of the first modern writers who have gone confront the importance of property rights institutions, because then he can be considered as the beginning of the schools of modern socialism and communism.

Akhirulkalam, people should not be considered trivial in the field of Rousseau's theory of the constitution. The central idea of "social contract" is, according to Rousseau's own sentences sound "totally transfer all the rights of individuals to society as a whole." This sentence narrows the space for personal freedom or for human rights. Rousseau himself was a dissident to the authorities, but the main effect of the book can be verified later by totalitarian states.

Rousseau kehinggapan criticized as a severe neurological disease (not to mention the assumption that he was crazy), as a male chauvinist, a thinker who makes restless and his mind is not practical. Criticisms of this kind can generally be justified. But more important than the deficiencies of the existing views on Rousseau is a sharp and original intelligence that continues affects modern thought for more than two centuries. Michael H. Hart,One hundred most influential figures in the history.