Emile: or On Education

Still reading with fascination. However, according to Kant, the significance of its publication was not less than that of the French Revolution. That should be a good enough review for anybody.

A tremendous amount of thinking has been done along the lines of Rousseau, and anyone who is interested in seeking a philosophical basis for thinking about religion can find:Profession of Faith of the Savoyard Vicarin Book IV of Emile by Rousseau. I am usually running into comments about having it both ways, and the key to discovering the truth about:Where is the philosopherwho would not gladlydeceive mankindfor his own glory? . . .Provided that he raises himselfabove the vulgar,provided that he dims the brillianceof his competitors,what more does he ask?The essential thingis to think differently from others.Among believers he is an atheist:among atheists he would be a believer. (p. 269).Modern political systems which call for the election of representatives are frequently the victims of those who have a private interest. Political economy splits those who would like to earn big bucks from those who can imagine everybody contributing to the welfare of those a society should pity. The maxims in Book IV of Emile are about pity, but political systems strive for representative ideas instead of individual sympathy for those who are more pitiable. Our sentimental leanings about one nation under God with thermonuclear weapons to protect a standard of living which is the envy of the rest of the world putting pressure on charitable contributions to organizations that can be accused of blowing things up without direct authorization from our own deity can be like a comment on the Third Maxim:Do not be surprised,therefore,if political men speakof the people with so much disdain;or if most of the philosophersaffect to make man so wicked. (p. 225).

This Penguin edition at £20 is a bit of a rip-off. It appears to be a reduced facsimile reprint of the 1979 Basic Books edition. The font is small, unattractive and antique, a bit wonky and over-inked; the notes so small they are barely legible. The original edition, introduction and translation is a very good one. Emile is an eminently readable book but this Penguin version I found such a considerable strain that I could only read about 20 pages at a time before having to rest my eyes. Surely Penguin Classic can do better than this!

Book four's accounts of amour proper and amour de soi offer an essential lens into life

very nice book, I love the read several times.