First Discourse

E884261

The First Discourse is Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s 1750 essay formally titled "Discourse on the Arts and Sciences," in which he argues that the progress of arts and sciences has corrupted human morality.

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First Discourse canonical 1

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Predicate Object
instanceOf Enlightenment text
philosophical essay
work by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
advocates republican virtue
simplicity of manners
alternativeName First Discourse NERFINISHED
author Jean-Jacques Rousseau NERFINISHED
awarded first prize by the Academy of Dijon
century 18th century
commissionedBy Academy of Dijon NERFINISHED
countryOfOrigin France
criticizes arts as instruments of vanity
sciences as promoting inequality
social hypocrisy
firstPublicationType prize essay
form rhetorical discourse
genre essay
philosophical treatise
hasAuthorNationality Genevan
historicalContext European Enlightenment NERFINISHED
influenced critique of modernity
debates on civilization and barbarism
later Romantic thought
keyConcept appearance versus reality in social life
corruption of morals by luxury
tension between virtue and refinement
language French
mainClaim cultural refinement leads to moral decay
progress of the arts and sciences corrupts morals
mainTheme relationship between arts, sciences, and morality
occasion prize competition of the Academy of Dijon
originalTitle Discours sur les sciences et les arts NERFINISHED
philosophicalDomain moral philosophy
social philosophy
philosophicalMovement Enlightenment NERFINISHED
philosophicalPosition critique of civilization
critique of progress
positionOnQuestion negative
publicationYear 1750
questionAddressed Has the restoration of the sciences and arts contributed to the purification of morals?
relatedWork Second Discourse NERFINISHED
The Social Contract NERFINISHED
structure essay in response to a prize question
subject ethics
history of ideas
philosophy of culture
political philosophy
title Discourse on the Arts and Sciences NERFINISHED

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Second Discourse precededBy First Discourse