How Did Jean-Jacques Rousseau Influence Enlightenment Philosophy

Philosophy is as relevant today as it was at the time of Thales because of its pragmatism and intrigue. Since the birth of civilization, man has questioned the nature of the universe, both secular and spiritual. The practice of philosophy is what binds the theoretical ideas with the way people live their lives. It’s become the basis of the modern government and provides guidance on how to assess situations that might arise in the future. Philosophy has both raised and answered some of the most important questions mankind has asked. It is the one discipline that will always be relevant; people will always ask about what fairness is, how to be good, and what the meaning of life is. The practice of philosophy as we know it has existed for thousands of years and has always been expanded and improved upon. It’s the one thing that survives when nations …show more content…
His relationships with Voltaire and Diderot are often reflected in his work, taking a significant influence from both of these other philosophers. His most powerful points were those regarding citizenship and education of the individual in order to better the community. His most influential works (that had direct consequences in the French Revolution) were “Discourse on Inequality” and “The Social Contract”. Unlike Locke, Rousseau’s influences were not directly pertaining to the rights of the individual, but rather the responsibility. “The Social Contract” outlined what he believed to be the proper political order, and would later be the basis of the demands of citizens in the French Revolution. However, in the same fashion as Locke, Rousseau asserts that man is born free, and no authority has any dominion by birthright over another. The only way an individual can have authority over another is through the namesake social