A Dictionary of Philosophy, Third Edition
. 1712–78. Political philosopher and philosopher of education, he was born in Geneva and lived largely in France, often under patronage (including that of HUME in England). He emphasized the corrupting effects of society on man in his natural condition. He thought that society must be considered to be founded on a social contract between men, and he elaborated a notion of the ‘general will’, which would be represented in the decisions made in a properly ordered society. The sovereign’s decisions were legitimate only when they represented this general will, not (as with HOBBES) whenever the sovereign had effective power.
He also set forth principles of education in line with his other views. Discours sur les sciences et les arts, 1750. Discours sur l’origine et les fondements de l’inégalité parmi les hommes, 1755. Du Contrat social, 1762. Émile, 1762 (on education).
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