Abstract:

The Romantic philosopher of the 18th century Enlightenment philosophy, Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) has been subject to many studies. This paper, particularly, is based on Rousseau’s work “Discourse on Art and Sciences”, and his approach to art and science. Rousseau has been criticised because of his views on art and science in that work. The aim of this paper is to open to debate, and discuss the criticism that Rousseau is against art and science. The paper studies how Rousseau himself responses to such accusations, and criticisms through close reading of his works. Rousseau has the aim of presenting how values of human being – within the community that has been constructed by civilization – have died away. Rousseau mentions that human being – born free and equal – is “chained everywhere”. He criticizes the fake-intellectuals and scholars who are responsible for such a condition. Rousseau criticizes them as he believes that through their works on art and science, such are the ones who set a trap because, for him, the issue of civilization detracts human being from his/her true nature and trivializes them.

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