Jean-Jacques Rousseau: A Friend of Virtue

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: A Friend of Virtue by Joseph R. Reisert is a compelling and rigorous scholarly study that reexamines Rousseau's moral and political philosophy through the lens of virtue — challenging common misreadings and revealing the coherent ethical vision at the heart of his thought.

Reisert argues that Rousseau is best understood not as a romantic primitivist or a proto-totalitarian, but as a serious moral philosopher deeply committed to the cultivation of virtue in both individuals and societies. Drawing on the full range of Rousseau's writings, this book offers a fresh and persuasive interpretation of one of the Enlightenment's most controversial thinkers.

What You'll Discover

• A fresh scholarly reinterpretation of Rousseau's moral philosophy
• The central role of virtue in Rousseau's political and ethical thought
• Engagement with the full breadth of Rousseau's writings
• Essential reading for students of Enlightenment philosophy and political theory

A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper, more nuanced understanding of Rousseau — and of the enduring question of what it means to live a good and virtuous life.