The Cambridge Companion to Rousseau

An accessible and systematic 2001 survey of the full range of Rousseau's thinking and activity.

Patrick Riley (Author)

9780521576154, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 27 August 2001

466 pages
22.8 x 15.2 x 2.9 cm, 0.64 kg

"The Cambridge Companion to Rousseau is an expected and welcome addition to the Cambridge series on philosophers.... It takes good advantage of the possibilities a collection offers to bring diversity to the study of Rousseau. This volume also squarely addresses Rousseau in the context of other historical thinkers." Philosophy in Review

Universally regarded as the greatest French political theorist and philosopher of education of the Enlightenment, and probably the greatest French social theorist tout court, Rousseau was an important forerunner of the French Revolution, though his thought was too nuanced and subtle ever to serve as mere ideology. This 2001 volume systematically surveys the full range of Rousseau's activities in politics and education, psychology, anthropology, religion, music and theater.

1. Introduction: the life and works of Rousseau Patrick Riley
2. A general overview George Armstrong Kelly
3. Rousseau, Voltaire, and the revenge of Pascal Mark Hulliung
4. Rousseau, Fénelon, and the quarrel between the ancients and the moderns Patrick Riley
5. Rousseau's political philosophy Christopher Brooke
6. Rousseau's general will Patrick Riley
7. Rousseau's images of authority especially in La Nouvelle Héloise Judith Shklar
8. The religious thought Victor Gourevitch
9. Émile: learning to be men, women and citizens Geraint Parry
10. Émile: nature and the education of Sophie Susan Meld Shell
11. Rousseau's Confessions Christopher Kelly
12. Music, politics, theater and representation in Rousseau Tracy Strong and C. N. Dugan
13. The motto Vitam Impendere vero and the question of lying Jean Starobinski
14. Rousseau's Levite of Ephraïm: synthesis within a 'minor' work Thomas Kavanagh
15. Ancient Postmodernism in the philosophy of Rousseau Robert Wokler
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: History of Western philosophy [HPC]