Topic For Discussion : Rousseau's "Social Contract", Use This Thread For Comments And Discussion Options Rating

[Jon Awbrey]

Rousseau’s “Social Contract”

See this thread for selected passages from the text.

I haven't gotten around to excerpting enough of the text yet, but this will serve as an anchor for later discussion.

Jon (IMG:http://wikipediareview.com/stimg9x0b4fsr2/1/folder_post_icons/icon9.gif)

[Herschelkrustofsky]

OK, I'll bite. You seem a bit lonely on this thread. Perhaps you will find my observations uncongenial. But who knows?

The social contract theory is premised on the idea that man is a beast, and his relations to other man-beasts are defined by competition for food, property and babes. The government becomes necessary as a sort of referee, to deter one man-beast from slaughtering another during the quest for food, property and babes. The government is sort of big Arbitration Committee that is there to referee the competition. This sort of thinking gives rise to Libertarians and Newt Gingrich.

Of course, throughout history there has been a different philosophical tradition that is premised on the idea that we are human.

[communicat]

OK, I'll bite. You seem a bit lonely on this thread. Perhaps you will find my observations uncongenial. But who knows?

The social contract theory is premised on the idea that man is a beast, and his relations to other man-beasts are defined by competition for food, property and babes. The government becomes necessary as a sort of referee, to deter one man-beast from slaughtering another during the quest for food, property and babes. The government is sort of big Arbitration Committee that is there to referee the competition. This sort of thinking gives rise to Libertarians and Newt Gingrich.

Of course, throughout history there has been a different philosophical tradition that is premised on the idea that we are human.

The government becomes necessary as a sort of referee, to deter one man-beast from slaughtering another ..."

Huh? The government, through it's armed forces, is usually the chief protagonist in the slaughter of humans. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/nuke.gif)

[thekohser]

Huh? The government, through it's armed forces, is usually the chief protagonist in the slaughter of humans. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/nuke.gif)

[Detective]

Huh? The government, through it's armed forces, is usually the chief protagonist in the slaughter of humans. (IMG:smilys0b23ax56/default/nuke.gif)

It is rare that Communicat's comments fail to illustrate his state of mind and quality of discourse. That one in particular, does so in spectacular fashion. It's really supererogation to attack it for a silly typo.