Emile, or on Education

Dublin Core

Description

Outlines a program for educating children according to the precepts of Nature. Heavily influenced by Locke's philosophy of human understanding, this 1762 treatise argues that parents should pursue a "negative education": avoid formal schooling and rely instead on a child's natural goodness and curiosity to guide their development. Most of the book focuses on Emile's education, with one section devoted to Emile's intended wife, Sophie; her education was much more restricted than his. Wildly popular, this pedagogical novel encouraged many parents to model their parenting after Enlightenment ideals. Since then, it has had a major impact on philosophies of education.

Publisher

Translated by Allan Bloom. New York: Basic Books, 1979.

Date

08/01/2017

Contributor

Language

Type

Collection

Citation

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, “Emile, or on Education,” Legacies of the Enlightenment, accessed October 5, 2024, http://enlightenmentlegacies.org/items/show/77.