J.J. Rousseau: Discourse on Inequality
| Title | Ζ.Ζ. Ρουσώ, “Λόγος περί της ανισότητας” / J.J. Rousseau: Discourse on Inequality |
| Code | Φ512 |
| Faculty | Philosophy |
| School | Philosophy and Education |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Coordinator | Konstantinos Kavoulakos |
| Common | Yes |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600025149 |
Programme of Study: UPS School of Philosophy and Education (2011-today)
Registered students: 0
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | Compulsory courses beloging to the selected specialisation | Winter/Spring | - | 6 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors | |
| Class ID | 600291435
|
Type Of Offer
- Disciplinary Course
Course Type 2021
Specialization / Direction
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600291435
- eLearning (Moodle): https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=14094
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Examination)
- German (Examination)
Learning Outcomes
- have studied in depth the J.J. Rousseau's second discourse.
- be familiar with the problem of nature as a criterion of the critique of the cultural process.
- be able to broaden their knowledge in the relevant field through further bibliographic research.
General Competences
- Work autonomously
- Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
- Respect natural environment
- Be critical and self-critical
- Advance free, creative and causative thinking
Course Content (Syllabus)
In this course we will read Rousseau's famous “second discourse” or “Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality Among Men” (1755). In this essay, Rousseau develops and substantiates his position on culture as a departure from man's good nature - a position that had already formed the basis of his critique of culture in his “first discourse” or “Discourse on the Sciences and Arts” (1750), but without being sufficiently substantiated there. Rousseau first composes the image of man as a “good savage” living in a hypothetical natural state, in order to contrast it, in the second part, with the life of civilized man as we know it from history. In the context of our discussion, we will address issues such as the logic of Rousseau's argument for the transition from the natural to the social state, the place and function of the description of the natural state in the overall argument, his critique of civilization and the concept of progress, Rousseau's critique of the Enlightenment, the political consequences of Rousseau's critique of civilization, and so on.
Keywords
J.J. Rousseau, second discourse on inequality, man's good nature, alieanation, critique of culture
Educational Material Types
- Notes
- Slide presentations
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 39 | 1.6 | |||
| Reading Assigment | 108 | 4.3 | |||
| Exams | 3 | 0.1 | |||
| Total | 150 | 6 |
Student Assessment
Description
Three hours examination with questions chosen by the students.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
1) Στέφανος Δημητρίου, Ο ελεύθερος άνθρωπος: Ο πολιτικός ανθρωπισμός και η «πολιτική μηχανή» του Ζαν-Ζακ Ρουσσώ, Πόλις: Αθήνα 2021.
2) Peter Gay, Το κόμμα της ανθρωπότητας – θέσεις για τον γαλλικό Διαφωτισμό, Θύραθεν 2009.
2) Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Το κοινωνικό συμβόλαιο, Πόλις: Αθήνα 2012.
3) Rojda Azizoglu, Γιώργος Φαράκλας (επιμ.), Η δημοκρατία στην εξορία. Ένας οδηγός για τη σκέψη του Ρουσώ 300 χρόνια μετά τη γέννησή του, Νήσος: Αθήνα 2012.
Last Update
07-10-2025
