Jacques Derrida

In this paper I am going to summarize Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “Discourse on the Origin of Inequality” in which Rousseau theorizes that inequality is not a natural event, but an unfortunate byproduct of modern life. I will then provide a criticism of Rousseau’s argument, focusing on his decision to not discuss the relationship between natural and moral inequality. This criticism will then be countered by a theorized response from Rousseau’s perspective. The general argument presented by Rousseau…

Locke’s opinion regarding human nature encompasses equality among all men. The assertion that the world was given to mankind in common means, simply, that in the beginning no one owned anything (Strauss & Cropsey, 1987, p. 486). He focuses a great deal on the importance of work and labor to earn property. The ideas are ones that are still very real today as we must all work and labor in order to earn profit to sustain our lives. The concepts Locke provided are closely related to biblical…

Introduction to Political Theory Exam #1 The general will or the prince? When considering which state would be the most ideal to live in, one might find deciding between the aforementioned concepts of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Niccolo Machiavelli, respectively, to be an utterly difficult task. I find that a society in which Rousseau’s general will operates in its best capacity is far superior to that with an ideal prince as its leader. To begin, the general will must be defined in order for the…

In the movie Arrival (2016), Louise Banks, a professor of linguistics is asked by a US Army Colonel to ask the arrived aliens a simple question in their language: “What is your purpose on earth?” From a linguistic point of view, Louise explained the difficulty of expressing the message. She emphasized that the word “your” requires the unknown aliens to have a sense of possession, or ownership. This fact reveals that our understanding of property is all based upon the established social system…

The Enlightenment period of the 1700s began the discussion of what a modern society needed become in order for society to evolve from a feudal construct. Many philosophes and individuals contributed to the Enlightenment, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Montesquieu, Adam Smith and Voltaire. These people wrote profound concepts that influenced other common people to act upon them to positively change society. These individuals included the French Revolutionists who propelled the French…

While Sanshirō and Nonomiya were on a walk Nonomiya noticed the beautiful sky, and thinks about telling his friend who is a painter. Additionally, they are surrounded by many stores indicating the merchants and market economy. (Sōseki, 26-7) Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote The Social Contract in which he questioned the power of a King and how a King had no power without the people. The philosopher Rousseau challenged the hierarchy and focused on the social order in which every individual has power…

Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacque Rousseau weigh into the discussion about justice and morality in both in the State of Nature and within civil societies. Hobbes enforces that individuals do not have any moral obligations in the State of Nature or within civil society, but instead all decisions are made with rationality. Therefore, legitimacy and justice are based upon his notional of rationality and the validity of covenants created. Locke argues that humans are moral in both the…

In our civilized world, we may not realize our world or the humanity has been civilized through hundred years of development. However, H.G Wells and Jean Rousseau are aware of the consequences due to the civilization. They believe civilization means a lot to the changes of humanity, creatures. They raise all sorts of questions on what is nature and what is artificial. Therefore, it is interesting to compare Jean Rousseau’s A Discourse on Inequality and H.G Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau in a…

Why is it that so many people say that Hobbes has a “negative” outlook when it comes to various things like human nature and government? I feel Hobbes sees man as he truly is. However, the only reason that people view it as negative is that it detracts from the rather rosy picture many try to paint humans to be. People don 't realize Hobbes accounts for the true nature of people and it shows in the way he frames governing. Right and wrong is a subjective guideline that changes from person to…

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines condemn as a sentence to punishment or to declare to be reprehensible, wrong, or evil. Jean Paul Satre stated, “Man is condemned to be free,” the use of the phrase initiates that Satre sees freedom for man as an inconvenience rather than a blessing. His main reasoning behind his point of argument is once man is able to live in this world, he or she should be responsible for their own actions. Satre also believed humans live in anguish and existentialism is…