Date Available

7-5-2024

Year of Publication

2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Philosophy

First Advisor

Theodore Schatzki

Abstract

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s assertion of Emile that “Our true study is that of the human condition” serves as the foundation for this dissertation, which examines the significance of certain kinds of basic experiential relationships in Rousseau’s philosophy of education. By analyzing the relationships between the self and objects, the self and others, and the educator and the learner, this work elucidates how these interactions underpin Rousseau’s pedagogical views and their implications for fostering personal and social virtue.

The dissertation explores the self-object relationship through affectivity, embodiment, and purposeful activity, demonstrating how direct engagement with objects shapes perceptions and behaviors. It then examines the self-other relationship, focusing on amour de soi, amour-propre, and natural compassion to highlight the balance between individual motivations and social influences. Finally, it investigates the educator-learner relationship, emphasizing Rousseau’s concept of ‘negative’ education, which advocates for a facilitative role for educators in nurturing natural curiosity and virtue.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.384

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