HIST 274 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Horatii, Political Philosophy, Madame De Pompadour
17 Jan 2017
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Week 2 part 1: the enlightenment critique of aristocratic culture. Moral corruption: rousseau: discourse on the moral effects of the arts and sciences (1762) Was against the aristocratic culture, blaming it for immorality in european society. Discourse on moral effects of arts and sciences was written for an essay competition, made him famous. Things were improving from the dark ages (middle ages), though things had advanced and improved because of the arts and sciences. Arts and sciences being the factors leading to progress is not true. The issues with pursuing knowledge are the consequences associated with it (dishonesty, suspicion, deceitfulness, produces luxury instead of morality). It is assumed that knowledge makes people more moral and it softens people, rousseau believes that the more knowledge there is, the more it hurts morality. Significance of essay: opposes standard enlightenment ideas and principles of aristocratic society from the beginning of the essay: rousseau: letter to m. d"alembert on the theatre (1758)
