Biography
Jean Jacques Rousseau
Read Jean Jacques Rousseau’s biography and explore related books.
Read biography →Classical Reference Library
Jean Jacques Rousseau Resources
Explore articles, videos, guides, and other resources related to Jean Jacques Rousseau.
Resources
STUDENT’S GUIDE · POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
A Student’s Guide to Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s On the Social Contract.
A student-friendly guide to Rousseau’s On the Social Contract, explaining political freedom, sovereignty, the general will, and legitimate government, with reading questions, key concepts, and activities.
Read resource →TEACHER’S GUIDE · POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
A Teacher’s Guide to Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s On the Social Contract
A comprehensive teaching guide to Rousseau’s On the Social Contract, exploring political legitimacy, the general will, freedom, sovereignty, and civic obligation through close readings, discussion questions, and classroom activities
Read resource →HISTORY OF SCIENCE
Ancient and Modern Science: Some Observations
Ian Johnston traces the changing understanding of science from ancient Greek natural philosophy through medieval cosmology to modern experimental science, exploring how the pursuit of knowledge shifted from contemplation of nature and its purposes toward prediction, control, and power.
Read resource →STUDENT’S GUIDE · ENLIGHTENMENT THOUGHT & MORAL PROGRESS
Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts — A Student’s Guide
An accessible introduction to Rousseau’s 1750 argument that advances in science, literature, and the arts do not necessarily improve human morality. Explores virtue, manners, luxury, vanity, and the meaning of progress, with reading questions and a contemporary comparison activity.
Read resource →TEACHER’S GUIDE · ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHY & MORAL PROGRESS
Discourse on the Sciences and the Arts — A Teacher’s Guide
A guide to teaching Rousseau’s provocative 1750 discourse, examining whether advances in science, literature, and the arts improve human morality. Explores virtue, luxury, social appearances, and historical argument, with discussion questions, close-reading suggestions, and a classroom activity.
Read resource →ENLIGHTENMENT PHILOSOPHY
On Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality
Ian Johnston explores Rousseau’s account of human nature and the origins of inequality, examining how civilization, property, social institutions, and amour propre
Read resource →MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT
Why Should I Obey the State?
Ian Johnston examines why citizens should obey the state, comparing the political ideas of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Marx and their competing views of authority, liberty, equality, consent, and justice.
Read resource →