Things to consider in Rousseau

In no particular order, and with no particular theme:

• Humanity defined as pure potentiality, ateleological perfectibilité.
• The absolute interdependence of morality and immorality, freedom and slavery, etc.
• Psychology replaces history—genealogy of morals performed psychologically.
• Accumulation is self-inflicted suffering, self-inflicted bondage.
• “Locke’s was the individualism of the strong, Rousseau’s the individualism of the weak” (Judith Shklar, Men and Citizens, p. 41).
• Real equality never exists, since as soon as people stand in relation to each other, there is already inequality.

Posted by Brian Hamilton