The Priest’s Quest In Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Emile

The priest in Rousseau’s Emile describes himself as being a searcher for truth and being devoted to it; in the same breath he describes that while studying to be a priest, he primarily studied what he was taught, and only spoke what he was told to speak, regardless of whether these teachings and instructions were correct and true. He eventually realized that he had bitten of more than he could chew. What is good and true.

A person’s moral sense of right and wrong was seen as the brute of prejudices; this sense seeks to agree with the natural order rather than with man’s law and order. Rousseau describes that one’s views and morals tend to change after experiencing certain situations; this is problematic because one would never know whether your opinion of something is correct and true if you have not experienced it personally. His search for truth was agonizing because of his doubts; the mind would rather believe a lie than be without belief.

Comparing Christianity

In accordance to the Christian religion, Rousseau also views marriage the holiest of natural practice, but differs from the religion by stating that a priest may not marry. Christianity represents an almost blind faith in God, and Rousseau admitted that his lack of faith prolonged his growth to manhood. By dismissing one part of faith, he had to dismiss it all; faith is one of the primary pillars that support Christianity.

The root of truth searching

In Rousseau’s search for truth, he referred to the philosophers; he came to the conclusion that they were merely a group of self-centred people anxious to announce their opinions, but weak when it came to the defence thereof. His reason for this was imperfect human intelligence and pride.

He continued his search by restricting his understanding primarily to what he needed to know, ignoring any information that did not affect him directly. He recognized the truth in knowledge that could not be disproved such as the truth formed by the senses. Through truth provided by sense, he begins to study matter existing apart from him and refrains to attempt to explain what he does not know. Motion and GodRousseau’s theory regarding cause of motion claims that matter does not produce it and that to realize the first cause would be to accept that there is a will, that is known in its action, that creates nature’s motion; this will, he admits, is inexplicable. The motion in matter then directs him to the existence of a supreme intelligent being, which he and the Christians refer to as God. Rousseau, like Christianity, realizes that his own and the world’s knowledge and existence is dependent upon his existence and will.

Conclusion

To grasp one’s purpose in nature, leads to the conclusion that one’s purpose rest in the environment that God has placed us; you find your purpose by following nature and what you feels. By straying from nature and God’s will, we abuse our powers and free will, leading us to become saddened and hateful human beings.