Two contemporary philosophers take two very different approaches to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Essay on the Origin of Languages, and then each reflects upon the approach of the other. Barry Stocker takes a deconstructionist approach, discussing the importance of Rousseau in the work of Jacques Derrida. John Bolender approaches Rousseau's Essay in terms of cognitive science, most especially in light of the theories of Noam Chomsky and Alan Page Fiske. Both authors agree that Rousseau's Essay still has much to teach us.
Politics and History Montesquieu, Rousseau, Hegel and Marx
I make no claim to say anything new about Montesquieu. Anything that seems to be new is no more than a reflection on a well-known text or on a pre-existing reflection
[thumb=left]http://englishtips.org/uploads/posts/2008-09/1221663286_101071.gif[/thumb]Social Contract- Rousseau argues that people secure their liberty by entering into an implied contract with government. Rather than being protected by natural rights, their liberty is secured by the 'general will'-one of the most famous and troublesome ideas in political theory. This presentation explores Rousseau's concept of social order and its implications for individual freedom and the good of society.
Rousseau's Social Contract is a benchmark in political philosophy and has influenced moral and political thought since its publication. Rousseau and the Social Contract introduces and assesses: - Rousseau's life and the background of the Social Contract - The ideas and arguments of the Social Contract - Rousseau's continuing importance to politics and philosophy Rousseau and the Social Contract will be essential reading for all students of philosophy and politics, and anyone coming to Rousseau for the first time.
Acts of Literature, compiled in close association with Jacques Derrida, brings together for the first time a number of Derrida's writings on literary texts. The essays discuss literary figures such as Rousseau, Mallarmé, Joyce, Shakespeare, and Kafka, and comprise pieces spanning Derrida's career.
