Jean Jacques Rousseau
If you try to justify why human society goes from a wonderful and positive state of nature into a mostly uncontrollable political state, it is virtually impossible. Rousseau feels that when we enter into this political state, or society, that it is an inevitable. Humans will reach their potential, however at the same time society takes us away from our natural state and corrupts us. In this state of nature, humans are basically good. Rousseau thinks that nature should educate because it educates according to necessity. Throughout time, human society has evolved into a society educated by man. In the past, man has learned off of nature and his environment only to do and have what was necessary to get by. For the reason that man knew of no other life other than his own, man was happy. However, in today's society, man knows of many ways of life. There are many more ways to live, things to learn about, and possessions to own. In this aspect, man needs more than natures' education in order to live in this society in which we have created. Today's education changes day to day in order to adapt to daily challenges. Nature does have an important role in the education of an individual, however in orde
The three main educative forces, Rousseau talks about, are nature, men, and also things. The education of nature consists only of what the human body is born with. Nature teaches us boundaries, while balancing our power and will. With too much power or will, we are not able to realize the one that is being overpowered. Thus causing us to exceed the lessor of the two, and forcing us to balance our expectations with our abilities. The second educative force is that of man. Man shows us how to use our body that we are born with. This education, however, is one that Rousseau says that we have control of, or so he thinks. Last, there is the education from things. This is what we learn from objects and things around us. He feels the best education is to not do anything at all. That we should just let nature educate society without interference from anyone or anything. However, he contradicts himself by saying that all three types of education must work together in order for us to become his "perfect result". So, if this is true, than how is man's education so evil and corrupting?" In terms of reasoning, Rousseau thought that we do not need reasoning early on in our life. Reasoning will come on its own naturally after other natural learning has occurred. To distinguish right from wrong and appreciate the reason for the duties of man is beyond a child's power. A reasonable man develops after the education of the child is complete. Rousseau thinks that we are born with the ability to learn, however we do not have any innate knowledge. He uses Emile to explain the role that nature plays in an individual's intellectual and moral development through education. Rousseau raised Emile with the least possible restrictions. Rousseau's job as his tutor was to preserve his natural goodness while contributing to the development of self-reliance, civic duty, and morality that are required in adult life. He believes that children should learn according to their own interests and with hands-on experience. They should be constantly doing, observing, and feeling things in order to learn. This intern makes Rousseau a progressivist, because he
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Approximate Word count = 1455
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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