Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a fascinating and often misunderstood thinker. Although he is best known for his criticism of contemporary society and his idealized portrayal of innocence lost, Rousseau was also a writer of novels, an innovator in autobiography, a botanist, and a critic and composer of music. Rousseau participated in the great debates of enlightenment philosophers, which often meant taking part in a critique of existing institutions. One such institution is the educational system. In this lesson, you will learn about Rousseau's critique of education and his proposal for a better method of teaching. As you read, I hope that you will evaluate your own opinions about teaching and learning.
After carefully studying this lesson, you should be able to place Rousseau within the context of the Enlightenment. You will be able to identify key elements in his critique of modern society, especially his philosophy of nature vs. civilization.