The true key to all the perplexities of the human condition,
Rousseau boldly claims, is the "natural goodness of man." It is
also the key to his own notoriously contradictory writings, which,
he insists, are actually the disassembled parts of a rigorous
philosophical system rooted in that fundamental principle. What if
this problematic claim-so often repeated, but as often
dismissed-were resolutely followed and explored? Arthur M. Melzer
adopts this approach in The Natural Goodness of Man. The first two
parts of the book restore the original, revolutionary significance
of this now time-worn principle and examine the arguments Rousseau
offers in proof of it. The final section unfolds and explains
Rousseau's programmatic thought, especially the Social Contract, as
a precise solution to the human problem as redefined by the
principle of natural goodness. The result is a systematic
reconstruction of Rousseau's philosophy that discloses with
unparalleled clarity both the complex weave of his argument and the
majestic unity of his vision. Melzer persuasively resolves one
after another of the famous Rousseauian paradoxes-enlarging, in the
process, our understanding of modern philosophy and politics.
Engagingly and lucidly written, The Natural Goodness of Man will be
of interest to general as well as scholarly readers.
General
Imprint: |
University of Chicago Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
July 2016 |
Authors: |
Arthur M. Melzer
|
Dimensions: |
154 x 229 x 2mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
328 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-226-51979-1 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
0-226-51979-1 |
Barcode: |
9780226519791 |
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