But the idea of progress implied not only the teaching that the good of one must be the good of all, but meant also: (1) That man was not self-sufficient and therefore could come to fullest development only in the group. (2) That the seeds of individuality lay within man as a universal element and were nurtured and brought to flower by the peculiar touch of him who was expressed in their flowering. The fundamental tendencies in mankind being allowed to unfold, the man will be good; this goodness is the essential thing in his manhood, and it is natural.
Emile.—The keynote of Rousseau’s doctrine here is that of absolute reliance upon nature without impeding or diverting her progress at any point. He is in accord with the epistemological side of Locke’s philosophy, and therefore demands that Emile shall have his senses well developed. He is to have a strong vigorous body, full of courage and hardihood. Moral education is to be the result of natural discipline carried on in a sort of laissez-faire way. In general, Emile gets his education by being thrown into contact with nature and being allowed to observe and feel the phenomena of a crude environment, and by expressing directly what he has learned at first hand from this teacher. Emile, then, is shaped by primitive forces just as the simple, common man in the Social Contract and the Inequality. These made the simple, common man the epitome of that which was of greatest worth to humanity.
Origin of language.—In fixing the beginnings of speech, Rousseau says we can believe that necessities dictated the first movements, and that passions called forth the first voices. The genius of oriental languages, the most ancient known to us, have nothing in them that is methodical or reasoned out; they are vivacious and figurative. It is evident that the origin of languages is not at all due to the primary needs of man. The origin is due to the moral needs, to the passions. It is neither hunger nor thirst, but love, hate, pity, or anger which have called forth from men the first voices. Fruits do not steal away from our hands at all; one may nourish one’s self with them without talking; we may follow in silence the prey of which we wish to make a repast; but to move a young heart, to repel an unjust aggressor, nature dictates accents, cries, and tones of resentment. It was for this reason that the oldest words were invented.
The following quotations affirm in a general way the preceding statements of Rousseau’s philosophy:
L’astronomie est née de la superstition, de la haine,
de la flatterie, du mensonge;
la géométrie, de l’avarice;
la physique, d’une vaine curiosité;
toute et la morale même de l’orgueil humain.