Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau added a new type of will to those discussed by philosophers, which he called the "General will" (volonté générale). This concept developed from Rousseau's considerations on the social contract theory of Hobbes, and describes the shared will of a whole citizenry, whose agreement is understood to exist in discussions about the legitimacy of governments and laws.
Read more about this topic: Will (philosophy)
Famous quotes containing the word rousseau:
“Jean Jacques Rousseau ... is nothing but a fool in my eyes when he takes it upon himself to criticise society; he did not understand it, and approached it with the heart of an upstart flunkey.... For all his preaching a Republic and the overthrow of monarchical titles, the upstart is mad with joy if a Duke alters the course of his after-dinner stroll to accompany one of his friends.”
—Stendhal [Marie Henri Beyle] (1783–1842)
“We can never put ourselves in the shoes of children; we cannot fathom their thoughts, we lend them ours; and always following our own reasoning, we stuff their heads with extravagance and error.”
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778)
“Everything that comes out of the hands of the Creator of all things is good, everything degenerates in the hands of man.”
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–1778)