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Political Science General

The Free Animal

Rousseau on Free Will and Human Nature

by (author) Lee MacLean

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Jun 2013
Category
General, History & Theory, Political
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781442644953
    Publish Date
    Jun 2013
    List Price
    $70.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442664265
    Publish Date
    Oct 2013
    List Price
    $60.00

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Description

Free will is a key but contested concept in the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: while the famed philosopher is known to have asserted that free will distinguishes human beings from animals, several interpreters have argued that he merely pretends to have this belief for the sake of healthy politics and to avoid persecution by religious authorities. Through careful readings of key texts and letters, The Free Animal offers a new and original exploration of Rousseau’s views on free will.

Lee MacLean shows that Rousseau needs and uses the idea of human consciousness of free will to explain the development of morality, convention, and vice. MacLean bases her argument on a broad range of texts, from canonical works to Rousseau’s untranslated letters and drafts. Featuring careful analyses and an extensive engagement with the secondary literature, The Free Animal offers a novel interpretation of the changing nature and complexity of Rousseau’s intention.

About the author

Lee MacLean teaches in the Department of Political Science at Carleton University.

Lee MacLean's profile page

Editorial Reviews

The Free Animal is an excellent work not only in its theoretical sophistication, but also in its keen attention to the rhetorical nuances of Rousseau’s careful writing. Highly recommended.’

Choice Magazine vol 51:08:2014