Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a very significant man not only during his time, the time of the Enlightenment, but also in the formation of some of the modern principles and ideals seen today. He led an interesting yet controversial life and had opinions of the same sort. He made important contributions to philosophy, literature, and music with his presenting of his ideas, publishing of books, and composing of music. He is still regarded today as an important intellectual figure. Rousseau was born June 28th, 1712, in Geneva, Switzerland and died July 2nd, 1778, in Ermenonville, France (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseau). His mother died only nine days after his birth due to complications and his father abandoned him when he was just ten years old in order to avoid being arrested for fighting a duel. He was then put in the care of a pastor by his uncle. As a child he read a great deal. He left Geneva at the age of sixteen on March 3rd, 1728. He met Francoise-Louise de Warens and converted to being a Catholic. He presented a new system of numbered musical notation to the Academie des Sciences but was rejected as impractical and unoriginal. He then went on to become secretary to a French ambassador in Venice for a year and then met Therese Levasseur. According to Rousseau, she bore him five children and each of them was put into a foundling home because Rousseau did not think he would make a good father. He became friends with Denis Diderot and published several articles which were out into Diderot 's Encylopedie. He published several books, many of which were banned. He was forced to flee France. He returned years later under a fake name and continued writing. He died during a morning walk in France from a hemorrhage. Rousseau published several books that illustrated his philosophical views. Perhaps his most important work was The Social Contract, which was published in 1762 (http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jun/rousseau.html). In it he

Bibliography: • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseau • http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/96jun/rousseau.html • http://www.iep.utm.edu/r/rousseau.htm • http://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/rousseau/section4.rhtml