Rousseau, Jean-Jacques

1. An eighteenth-century French philosopher ; one of the leading figures of the Enlightenment . He held that in the state of nature, people are good, but that they are corrupted by social institutions; this notion became a central idea of romanticism . Some of Rousseau's best-known writings are , an important influence on the French Revolution ; , a statement of his views on education; and his autobiography , .

Example Sentences

Both countries were responding to the ideas of radical thinkers like Voltaire, Thomas Paine, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

From The Daily Beast

As early as 1750, Jean-Jacques Rousseau had bemoaned that “neither reason nor virtue nor the laws will subjugate public opinion.”

From The Daily Beast

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who had very little historical knowledge, has completely ignored the influence of Calvin on his republic.

From Project Gutenberg

Jean Jacques Rousseau in Emile advises the teacher to get the pupil to make his own playthings.

From Project Gutenberg

She borrowed her words from the infamous Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the friend of her scarce less infamous father—nay!

From Project Gutenberg

Jean Jacques Rousseau, a French philosopher of the eighteenth century.

From Project Gutenberg

Jean Jacques Rousseau never gave his real self to the world despite the loud Gallic boast of the paragraphs above.

From Project Gutenberg