How Intellectuals Poison Society | Rousseau's First Discourse Explained

An introductory lecture summarizing the key ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Discourse on the Arts and Sciences.

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Some links to guide your study:
Join my email list to be notified of future episodes: greatbooks.io
Full transcript: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnath...

Companion lectures & interviews:
Rousseau on the importance of heroes: https://www.johnathanbi.com/p/selfish...

Texts I referenced:
Best translation of the First Discourse: https://amzn.to/3Xr4NyO (affiliate)
My book notes: https://www.johnathanbi.com/p/discour...
Best reading companion to the First Discourse: https://amzn.to/4chZeXG (affiliate)
My book notes: https://www.johnathanbi.com/p/roussea...
Best overview of Rousseau's view on the role of authors: https://amzn.to/4bX9JQD (affiliate)
My book notes: https://www.johnathanbi.com/p/roussea...

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 0. Introduction
00:05:23 1.1 Critique: Sparta and Athens
00:06:54 1.2 Critique: Self-Interest and Pride
00:14:14 1.3 Critique: Science and the Disease of Contrarianism
00:22:24 1.4 Critique: Science Destroys the Social Fabric
00:29:43 1.5 Critique: Science is Useless
00:35:14 1.6 Critique: Popular Enlightenment
00:39:10 1.7 Critique: Art is Morally Impotent
00:50:03 1.8 Critique: Art’s Second Order Dangers
01:02:52 2.1 Prescriptions: Fighting Enlightenment with Enlightenment
01:10:20 2.2 Prescriptions: Rousseau, the Anti-Revolutionary
01:14:27 2.3 Prescriptions: Art in the Good State
01:21:31 2.4 Prescriptions: Science in the Good State
01:28:15 3. Contemporary Relevance of the First Discourse