Sunday, December 25, 2005
Rousseau's Greek Gift
A little Christmas blogging...
Michael Dirda has a well written review of a new Rousseau biography in the Washington Post. And once again, I am reminded of the inadequacy of my education. Rousseau is one of the few famous philosophers whose work I have not attempted to penetrate. I am not convinced that this is a real failing.
Rousseau's starting premise is that we are naturally good creatures and that society corrupts us and develops our vices. "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." He goes on to explicate this idea in ways that many people have found stimulating. Of course, this is a paradox because the premise is absurd.
What would convince anyone that people in their original state are good and virtuous? Even in his day and age this was an absurd idea. Any perusal of history would refute the idea that man has a natural state that is good. Anyone raising a child knows that they are not corrupting the child's nature but civilizing a barbarian.
To begin any serious thinking about the human condition on a false premise is a dangerous action. The conclusions reached are by necessity detached from the everyday reality of existence. In this case Rousseau helped give us the French Revolution and Marxism. The history of his influence is anything but positive.
Dare I say it? Always. Always we go back to Burke.
Michael Dirda has a well written review of a new Rousseau biography in the Washington Post. And once again, I am reminded of the inadequacy of my education. Rousseau is one of the few famous philosophers whose work I have not attempted to penetrate. I am not convinced that this is a real failing.
Rousseau's starting premise is that we are naturally good creatures and that society corrupts us and develops our vices. "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." He goes on to explicate this idea in ways that many people have found stimulating. Of course, this is a paradox because the premise is absurd.
What would convince anyone that people in their original state are good and virtuous? Even in his day and age this was an absurd idea. Any perusal of history would refute the idea that man has a natural state that is good. Anyone raising a child knows that they are not corrupting the child's nature but civilizing a barbarian.
To begin any serious thinking about the human condition on a false premise is a dangerous action. The conclusions reached are by necessity detached from the everyday reality of existence. In this case Rousseau helped give us the French Revolution and Marxism. The history of his influence is anything but positive.
Dare I say it? Always. Always we go back to Burke.
