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The Confessions (Penguin Classics) 1st (first) Published 1953 Edition by Rousseau, Jean-Jacques [1953]
Paperback
Published January 1, 1994
About the author
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
4,828 books3,028 followersGenevan philosopher and writer Jean Jacques Rousseau held that society usually corrupts the essentially good individual; his works include
The Social Contract
and
Émile
(both 1762).
This important figure in the history contributed to political and moral psychology and influenced later thinkers. Own firmly negative view saw the post-hoc rationalizers of self-interest, apologists for various forms of tyranny, as playing a role in the modern alienation from natural impulse of humanity to compassion. The concern to find a way of preserving human freedom in a world of increasingly dependence for the satisfaction of their needs dominates work. This concerns a material dimension and a more important psychological dimensions. Rousseau a fact that in the modern world, humans come to derive their very sense of self from the opinions as corrosive of freedom and destructive of authenticity. In maturity, he principally explores the first political route, aimed at constructing institutions that allow for the co-existence of equal sovereign citizens in a community; the second route to achieving and protecting freedom, a project for child development and education, fosters autonomy and avoids the development of the most destructive forms of self-interest. Rousseau thinks or the possible co-existence of humans in relations of equality and freedom despite his consistent and overwhelming pessimism that humanity will escape from a dystopia of alienation, oppression, and unfreedom. In addition to contributions, Rousseau acted as a composer, a music theorist, the pioneer of modern autobiography, a novelist, and a botanist. Appreciation of the wonders of nature and his stress on the importance of emotion made Rousseau an influence on and anticipator of the romantic movement. To a very large extent, the interests and concerns that mark his work also inform these other activities, and contributions of Rousseau in ostensibly other fields often serve to illuminate his commitments and arguments.
This important figure in the history contributed to political and moral psychology and influenced later thinkers. Own firmly negative view saw the post-hoc rationalizers of self-interest, apologists for various forms of tyranny, as playing a role in the modern alienation from natural impulse of humanity to compassion. The concern to find a way of preserving human freedom in a world of increasingly dependence for the satisfaction of their needs dominates work. This concerns a material dimension and a more important psychological dimensions. Rousseau a fact that in the modern world, humans come to derive their very sense of self from the opinions as corrosive of freedom and destructive of authenticity. In maturity, he principally explores the first political route, aimed at constructing institutions that allow for the co-existence of equal sovereign citizens in a community; the second route to achieving and protecting freedom, a project for child development and education, fosters autonomy and avoids the development of the most destructive forms of self-interest. Rousseau thinks or the possible co-existence of humans in relations of equality and freedom despite his consistent and overwhelming pessimism that humanity will escape from a dystopia of alienation, oppression, and unfreedom. In addition to contributions, Rousseau acted as a composer, a music theorist, the pioneer of modern autobiography, a novelist, and a botanist. Appreciation of the wonders of nature and his stress on the importance of emotion made Rousseau an influence on and anticipator of the romantic movement. To a very large extent, the interests and concerns that mark his work also inform these other activities, and contributions of Rousseau in ostensibly other fields often serve to illuminate his commitments and arguments.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 2, 2026
I read a selection from this work back when I was a freshman in college and it always stuck with me because of its knowing and sly humor about human decision-making and belief. There was one particular passage that made an impact, when Rousseau was struggling with his belief in God and his eternal soul. The passage is as follows:
"One day, when brooding on this melancholy subject, I began throwing stones at the tree trunks, and this with my usual skill, which meant that I hardly hit one. While engaged in this noble exercise, it occurred to me to draw a sort of omen from it, to ally my anxiety. 'I am going to throw this stone', I said to myself, 'at the tree facing me. If I hit it, it is a sign that I am saved; if I miss it I am damned.' As I said this I threw my stone with a trembling hand and a terrible throbbing of the heart, but so accurately that it hit the tree full in the middle; which really was not very difficult, since I taken care to choose a very large tree very near to me. Since then I have never again doubted my salvation."
This is the kind of self-pitying and comedic non-sense that I have been inclined to engage in my entire life as well, so it was very relatable to me. I still think this is a very funny and insightful passage.
However, I must say that the whole book is not full from cover to cover of these winners. In fact, I grew pretty weary of the reading experience as it drug on. These are not really philosphical writings, and this is a sort of prototype of the literary form that we now think of as autobiography, though it is one that is extremely repetitious and free of much drama. Rousseau is forever short of money and falling in love with some woman who shows him the faintest kindness. He is paralyzed by his strong feelings which eventually come to nothing and he is forced to move on to a new town or living situation.
Also worth noting is that Rousseau's personal life included having several children with a woman who was essentially his sort-of domestic servant and abandoning them all to an orphanage, so do take his views on child-rearing and family matters with a bit of a grain of salt.
The feeling I had reading this book was similar to reading Don Quixote many years ago. In isolation, there are many good bits. But the work on the whole just beats down the reader. Better to encounter a small and enjoyable slice of it in a survey course than suffer through the whole thing.
"One day, when brooding on this melancholy subject, I began throwing stones at the tree trunks, and this with my usual skill, which meant that I hardly hit one. While engaged in this noble exercise, it occurred to me to draw a sort of omen from it, to ally my anxiety. 'I am going to throw this stone', I said to myself, 'at the tree facing me. If I hit it, it is a sign that I am saved; if I miss it I am damned.' As I said this I threw my stone with a trembling hand and a terrible throbbing of the heart, but so accurately that it hit the tree full in the middle; which really was not very difficult, since I taken care to choose a very large tree very near to me. Since then I have never again doubted my salvation."
This is the kind of self-pitying and comedic non-sense that I have been inclined to engage in my entire life as well, so it was very relatable to me. I still think this is a very funny and insightful passage.
However, I must say that the whole book is not full from cover to cover of these winners. In fact, I grew pretty weary of the reading experience as it drug on. These are not really philosphical writings, and this is a sort of prototype of the literary form that we now think of as autobiography, though it is one that is extremely repetitious and free of much drama. Rousseau is forever short of money and falling in love with some woman who shows him the faintest kindness. He is paralyzed by his strong feelings which eventually come to nothing and he is forced to move on to a new town or living situation.
Also worth noting is that Rousseau's personal life included having several children with a woman who was essentially his sort-of domestic servant and abandoning them all to an orphanage, so do take his views on child-rearing and family matters with a bit of a grain of salt.
The feeling I had reading this book was similar to reading Don Quixote many years ago. In isolation, there are many good bits. But the work on the whole just beats down the reader. Better to encounter a small and enjoyable slice of it in a survey course than suffer through the whole thing.
Displaying 1 of 1 review