Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was hailed by Claude Levi-Strauss as "the founder of the sciences of man". This collection of fourteen classic papers devoted to his work addresses the points of intersection between the moral and the political, the personal and the social. The volume is divided into five parts: The Critique of Progress and the Speculative Anthropology, The Naturalizing of Natural Law, The General Will and Totalitarianism, Anticipations of Game Theory and Strategies of Redemption. The articles are accompanied by an extensive, detailed introduction by the editor along with a selective bibliography.

Contents:
Introduction. Rousseau: the life and work, 1. Rousseau's divided thought: the morality of the senses and the morality of duty 2. The Discourse on the Origin of Inequality Among Men 3. The Emile Part 4 The Social Contract: principles of right 5. The empire of the laws: the general will and totalitarianism 6. The Social Contract: maxims of politics 7. Amour-propre 8. Men and Women 9. Language 10. Religion and politics 11. Negative theology: revealed relgion criticized 12. Postitive theology: natural religion defended. Concluding reflections.

Timothy O'Hagan investigates Jean-Jacques Rousseau's writings concerning the formation of humanity, of the individual and of the citizen in his three master works: the Discourse on the Origin of Inequality among Men, Emile and the Social Contract. He explores Rousseau's reflections on the sexes, language and religion.

O'Hagan gives Rousseau's arguments a close and sympathetic reading. He writes as a philosopher, not a historian, yet he never loses sight of the cultural context of Rousseau's work.