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Questions and Answers
What did Rousseau aim to outline in The Social Contract and other political works?
What did Rousseau aim to outline in The Social Contract and other political works?
- The benefits of modern society over the state of nature
- Government principles that could provide a level of freedom similar to the state of nature (correct)
- The principles of anarchy
- The principles of absolute monarchy
How did Rousseau define 'natural'?
How did Rousseau define 'natural'?
- By embracing societal ideas
- By emphasizing the need for strict societal control
- By advocating for complete individual freedom
- By stripping away societal ideas imposed on the true nature of man (correct)
How did Rousseau view modern society in comparison to the hypothetical state of nature?
How did Rousseau view modern society in comparison to the hypothetical state of nature?
- Unfavorably, as it restricts physical freedom (correct)
- Similarly, as both restrict physical freedom
- Favorably, as it provides more opportunities
- Indifferently, as both have their own advantages
How did Rousseau's conception of the state of nature differ from Hobbes' view?
How did Rousseau's conception of the state of nature differ from Hobbes' view?
What does Rousseau's political philosophy include?
What does Rousseau's political philosophy include?
What is the general will according to Rousseau?
What is the general will according to Rousseau?
How did Rousseau suggest laws should be related to the general will?
How did Rousseau suggest laws should be related to the general will?
What does Rousseau's conception of the general will raise questions about?
What does Rousseau's conception of the general will raise questions about?
Where does Rousseau's work suggest sovereignty resides?
Where does Rousseau's work suggest sovereignty resides?
According to Rousseau, why is natural man considered to be physically free?
According to Rousseau, why is natural man considered to be physically free?
What does Rousseau consider as the second sense of freedom for natural man?
What does Rousseau consider as the second sense of freedom for natural man?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for societal ills in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for societal ills in modern society?
What did Rousseau consider as the most fundamental objective of good government?
What did Rousseau consider as the most fundamental objective of good government?
According to Rousseau, why can people never be entirely free in modern society?
According to Rousseau, why can people never be entirely free in modern society?
What does Rousseau aim to explain in The Social Contract?
What does Rousseau aim to explain in The Social Contract?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for poor self-esteem and depression in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for poor self-esteem and depression in modern society?
What is the second reason that natural man is considered to be total free according to Rousseau?
What is the second reason that natural man is considered to be total free according to Rousseau?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for the exploitation and domination of others in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for the exploitation and domination of others in modern society?
What did Rousseau acknowledge as a constraint to the individual freedom of citizens in a modern, civil society?
What did Rousseau acknowledge as a constraint to the individual freedom of citizens in a modern, civil society?
According to Rousseau, what must a good government have as its most fundamental objective?
According to Rousseau, what must a good government have as its most fundamental objective?
What did Rousseau consider as a particularly insightful and revolutionary component of his philosophy?
What did Rousseau consider as a particularly insightful and revolutionary component of his philosophy?
According to Rousseau, why is natural man considered to be physically free?
According to Rousseau, why is natural man considered to be physically free?
What does Rousseau believe modern man's enslavement to his own needs is responsible for?
What does Rousseau believe modern man's enslavement to his own needs is responsible for?
What is the primary objective of good government according to Rousseau?
What is the primary objective of good government according to Rousseau?
What does Rousseau acknowledge about the freedom of people in modern society?
What does Rousseau acknowledge about the freedom of people in modern society?
What did Rousseau aim to explain in The Social Contract?
What did Rousseau aim to explain in The Social Contract?
According to Rousseau, why is natural man considered to be psychologically and spiritually free?
According to Rousseau, why is natural man considered to be psychologically and spiritually free?
What makes up a particularly insightful and revolutionary component of Rousseau’s philosophy?
What makes up a particularly insightful and revolutionary component of Rousseau’s philosophy?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for all sorts of societal ills in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for all sorts of societal ills in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for people not being entirely free in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was responsible for people not being entirely free in modern society?
What did Rousseau believe was the most fundamental objective of good government?
What did Rousseau believe was the most fundamental objective of good government?
What did Rousseau attempt to imagine in The Social Contract?
What did Rousseau attempt to imagine in The Social Contract?
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Study Notes
Rousseau's Political Philosophy
- Rousseau believed in government principles that could provide a level of freedom similar to the state of nature
- He aimed to outline these principles in The Social Contract and other political works
- Rousseau defined "natural" by stripping away societal ideas imposed on the true nature of man
- He compared modern society unfavorably to the hypothetical state of nature where people have complete physical freedom
- Rousseau revered the state of nature for the physical freedom it grants people
- His conception of the state of nature differed from Hobbes, who viewed it as a state of war and savagery
- Understanding the state of nature is essential for society’s members to realize their natural goodness
- Rousseau's political philosophy includes the principle of the general will, aiming at the common good
- The general will is the will of the sovereign, equivalent to the will of all in a healthy state
- Laws should record the general will and ensure individual freedom, guaranteeing loyalty to the sovereign
- Rousseau's conception of the general will raises questions about how to gauge and codify it accurately
- In Rousseau's work, sovereignty resides in all the people of the society as a collective, opposed to the government
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