Rousseau, Reveries, pt. 1

PHIL 2027

2008-09

‘These pages will be no more than a

a formless record of my reveries’ (32).

Themes

• Stoicism: submits to his fate; things cannot get any worse (28); live from oneself, not others (35)

• Conspiracy theory: the ‘cabal’--Voltaire, Grimm, Diderot (philosophes) (27ff., 42-3)– Accusations of being a poisoner, linked to his

botanizing– Dispute with David Hume in England– Mme d’Ormoy’s novel; rumours of his death from his

fall

• Guilt about his abandoned children.

Salon of Mme Geoffrin

God, suffering, fate, 2nd Walk

• ‘I am devoting my last days to studying myself and preparing the account that I shall shortly have to render’.

• ‘Let me give myself over entirely to the pleasure of conversing with my soul’ (32).

• His ‘heart has been purified in the crucible of adversity’—nothing more to confess (33);

• ‘God is just; his will is that I should suffer, and he knows my innocence. That is what gives me confidence…we must learn to suffer in silence, everything, will find its proper place in the end…’ (45).

His accident at Ménilmontant(2nd Walk)

• What are the social circumstances of this incident – e.g. how is it exemplary of class differences?

• ‘born again’• ‘I had no distinct notion of myself as a person’• ‘I felt throughout my whole being such a

wonderful calm’ (39)• Suspicious of offers of help from the police (41)

Meditation, reform: 3rd Walk

• ‘Lonely meditation, the study of nature and the contemplation of the universe lead the solitary to aspire continually to the maker of all things and to seek…the purpose of all he sees…’ (50).

• His ‘reform’: – ‘I gave up all finery—no more sword, no more

watch, no more white stockings, gilt trimmings and powder…and set myself to copying music…’ (51; also see Confs., Bk 8, 339).

God and religion

• Stands by ‘Profession of Faith of Savoyard Vicar’,– a heterodox profession of faith in an ‘Uncaused cause’ – Rejects Creation of world as a random event– based on natural religion, e.g. ‘wisdom of God manifest in the

Creation’ (55).– Would agree w/ ‘intelligent design’ theory today.

• ‘All these hair-splitting metaphysical subtleties…count for nothing against the basic principles adopted by my reason, confirmed by my heart and bearing the seal of my conscience uninfluenced by the passions’ (56).

Solitude

• ‘It is from this time that I can date my total renunciation of the world and the great love of solitude which has never since left me…’

• ‘long and tranquil meditation which are impossible in the bustle of society…’

• ‘when men later reduced me to a life of solitude…they had done more for my happiness than I been able to do myself (52).

Truth vs Lies (4th Walk)

• ‘guided by voice of conscience rather than light of reason’ (68)

• Role of his ‘natural disposition’ (73)• Are there any harmless lies—’occasional lies about

things of no importance’ (72)?• Should Rousseau have felt remorse for his lies in the

past, – e.g. the lie about a theft that caused both Rousseau and a fellow

servant to be fired;• He says not a day goes by without his recalling his crime

(Confs., Bk 2, p. 86ff.)• Claims Confessions ‘carried good faith, truthfulness and

frankness as far, further even…than any other mortal’ (76).

Questions

• What is the philosophical significance of this text?

• Is the source of true happiness within ourselves? (36)

• Does Rousseau share anything in common with other philosophers? – Or is he unique?– Compare the Reveries with his opening

statement in the Confessions.

Rousseau as botanist