Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) ranks among the French Enlightenment's most important personalities. He was a philosopher, novelist, composer and essayist whose writings profoundly impact the French Revolution and French education. His autobiography helped to generate the modern genre of autobiography and his novel, Julie, prefigured 19th century Romantic French writing. His most famous works, however, were his Social Contract, which outlines his mature political philosophy, and Emile, which displays his famous philosophy of education.

Rousseau had a graduate degree, and composed a dissertation during the course of his studies, yet prior to 1750 he had no fame to speak of. Rousseau came to prominence when he won an essay contest in 1750 for the First Discourse. He became famous in large part because of his controversial claim that arts and science corrupt and destroy public and private morality.

The Second Discourse, the Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, was composed...