SOC SCI H1F Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Egocentrism
20 Mar 2019
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Document Summary
Even if the state of nature never existed, we have to imagine it in order to understand human nature. Rousseau"s vision of the state of nature was much more complex than that of locke"s. Rousseau carries us through phases of the state of nature. 1st stage: man as a happy savage who lives without reason, but is led by the instincts of self preservation and pity. 2nd stage: emerging society - pg 74 - rousseau keeps coming back to the notion of moderation. Society is driven by petulant activity and egocentrism. This is the best stage of mankind that breaks down because of some fatal chance occurrence. 3rd stage:we break down in society because of metallurgy and agriculture, it is no longer possible for individuals to get along on their own. They start to cooperate with others, which leads inevitably to domination.
