Transcript Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau
The ethics of virtue
Beau Baxter Rosser
A Brief History
• Born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1712
• Considered an Enlightenment thinker
• Most of his writings were banned before
or right as they were coming out
• Possibly invented the autobiography
with his book Reveries of a Solitary
Walker, which he started in 1776 and
was unfinished by the time of his death
in 1778
• His works inevitably influenced many
people, including Immanuel Kant
The Natural Man
“Man was/is born
free; and
everywhere he is in
chains.”
1766 portrait by Allan Ramsay
The Virtuous Man
What is virtue?
The virtuous person is not disturbed by the superficial
opinions of others and conducts himself with rugged,
almost brutal, honesty.
The Virtuous Man
In regards to people:
People are good in nature, but forever
corrupted once they have left that state and
live in a community with others.
The Virtuous Man
Universal ethical egoism:
- each person ought to act in his or her own
self-interest
Psychologism egoism :
- all human motivation is ultimately selfish or
egoistic
Savage Man Vs. Civilized Man
Savage Man:
- Lives a life being virtuous to
himself
Civilized Man:
- A civilized person goes against the
savage instinct, and therefore not
virtuous
The Virtuous Man
In regards to his Discourse on Political
Economy:
- Make sure that all private wills are related to the
general will; virtue is only the conformity of the
private will to the general will
This idea of virtue goes hand and hand with
Kant’s view.
So what is Rousseau’s
stance on Virtue Ethics?