Rousseau' Nature And History

Rousseau always is in the history of western thought important personage,his thought to western politics legal regime development influence until now.Rousseau's thought is highly inclusive, involving philosophy, political science, religion, law and sociology. His works had been studied by peoples as classic texts.Analyzing Rousseau's discourse"On the origin and foundations of inequality among men" (hereinafter referred to as "On the unequality" or the second discourse) is the basis of this thesis.Tis thesis try to show the natural state and the history of man,and depict how human go from the initial state to the accidental process of history. On this basis, this paper will analyze how Rousseau treat the concept of nature and history, and how he treat the process from natural state to history.One thing must be emphasized here that the"nature"in the natural state is different from the concept of nature. The state of nature described is the initial state of human.The concept of nature refers to the natural world, the existence of an eternal unchanging things, such things are things all the rheological primordial.This thesis is divided into three parts: An Introduction, body, and conclusion.The Introduction focuses on the significance and research perspectives, as well as the logic of this article.In the logical order, "On the inequality" is written after another early Rousseau'paper "On Science and Art" (hereinafter referred to as the first discourse) ."On Science and Art" laid the foundation for the second discourse. Therefore, this thesis analyzes that article in the first chapter .Rousseau launched a comprehensive attack towards the modern society.He believed that the development of science and art had not bring about the purification of human morality and virtue. The abuse of science and art will lead to the deterioration of social morality and social chaos. So, mankind is in chos in the initial stages? This is thinking point of Rousseau's "On the inequality".The second chapter analyzes the natural state described in "On the inequality ". Rousseau used the scientific method, by reference to anthropological data, outlined the natural person and the natural state in which he lived. Controled by self-love and mercy ,the natural person is alone and happy. They did not have marriage, family, language, reason, and only the potential ability of self-improvement. Between natural persons, there was no dependence on each other. Natural persons lived beyond Good and Evil, he is completely in animal state.The third chaptert analyzes the historical part of the natural person described in Rousseau's "On the inequality". Under the action of the causal factors, the human self-improvement capabilities are developed, humans began to move toward the state of society. They went through four stages: the state of nature, family and private ownership of production, farming life, social and legal origin. In this process, mankind have received humane,ration and social characters, but also adhered evils. This is a twofold process. In fact, the whole historical process of development is the product of a series of fortuitous events,.Occasional events imposed ration and wisdom on the mankind.This is the unique characteristics of human's history.The fourth chapter is an analysis chapter.Through the published "the letter addressed to Voltaire," we can see Rousseau's "On the inequality" was in fact placed in context of the theodicy . Rousseau convinced that this world is composed by the vast majority of good and minority of evil. Rousseau's theodical background determines the calm of his natural state. Understanding of his theodicy will help our understanding of his concept of nature.Conclusion part of this article is the full summary. The nature and history both have certain deficiencies . Rousseau did not think that the initial state of the people can understand nature, nor the history can provide a criteria for human existence.Therefore,only the understanding of public actions and pubic rights can provide for people the criteria.