Rousseau's God - by John T Scott (Paperback)

About the Book

"Rousseau's God offers a comprehensive interpretation of Rousseau's theological and religious writings, both in themselves and in relation to his philosophy of the natural goodness of man. John T. Scott argues that there is a complicated relationship between Rousseau's philosophy, on the one hand, and his theological and religious thought. This relationship revolves around two oppositions: first, between the attributes and psychological needs of natural man and social or moral man; second, between the criteria of truth and utility for evaluating theological and religious doctrines. In short, because the justification of nature through the natural goodness of man does not suffice for developed humans, Rousseau offers theological and religious doctrines which are less true than useful, psychologically, morally, or politically"--

Book Synopsis

A landmark study of Rousseau's theological and religious thought.

John T. Scott offers a comprehensive interpretation of Rousseau's theological and religious thought, both in its own right and in relation to Rousseau's broader oeuvre. In chapters focused on different key writings, Scott reveals recurrent themes in Rousseau's views on the subject and traces their evolution over time. He shows that two concepts--truth and utility--are integral to Rousseau's writings on religion. Doing so helps to explain some of Rousseau's disagreements with his contemporaries: their different views on religion and theology stem from different understandings of human nature and the proper role of science in human life. Rousseau emphasizes not just what is true, but also what is useful--psychologically, morally, and politically--for human beings. Comprehensive and nuanced, Rousseau's God is vital to understanding key categories of Rousseau's thought.

Review Quotes

"Scott has given us a landmark study--one that deserves to be read by anyone
writing on Rousseau, theology, or the moral foundations of modernity."-- "Reading Religion"

"It would be difficult to overpraise this book. Scott gives a comprehensive and coherent account of Rousseau's thought. . . .For anyone who is unfamiliar with Rousseau's thinking about the existence of God, the question of theodicy, and the role of religion in society this work provides a compact and accurate overview of all this and more."-- "Theological Studies"

"The clarity of the writing, explanations of key texts, attention to historical context and interlocutors, and expertise of Scott on Rousseau all make this an essential volume for Rousseau and religion."-- "The Journal of Religion"

"There is much more that could be said on this subject, of course, as on the many other aspects of Rousseau's philosophy upon which Scott advances deeply insightful and thought-provoking interpretations. One of the many successes of Rousseau's God is that it shifts the burden of proof onto those who think that the Vicar does represent Rousseau's own views. Anyone wishing to defend that interpretation henceforth should either respond to Scott's forceful challenges or conclude that Rousseau was inconsistent on topics of central importance to his thought."
-- "Review of Politics"

"Rousseau's God is an original and wide-ranging examination of Rousseau's theological and religious writings. John Scott draws fertile connections to other key concepts in Rousseau's broader project and pulls together multiple analytical threads into an exceptionally lucid and comprehensive interpretation that shows just how deeply the distinction between truth and utility permeates Rousseau's treatment of religion (both doctrine and practice) throughout his works."

--Denise Schaeffer College of the Holy Cross

"Rousseau's God considers an important question in the manner it deserves: thoroughly. Scott succeeds in reconstructing the entire complex edifice of Rousseau's theology and relating it to the broader and even more complex context of Rousseau's thought as a whole. This is a remarkable achievement and a major contribution to understanding Rousseau."--Clifford Orwin University of Toronto

About the Author

John T. Scott is distinguished professor of political science at the University of California, Davis. He is the author most recently of Rousseau's Reader: Strategies of Persuasion and Education, also published by the University of Chicago Press.