Pascal's Pensées, and Rousseau's On the Social Contract (Books 2 and 3)

“Man was born free, but everywhere he is in chains. This man believes that he is the master of others, and still he is more of a slave than they are. How did that transformation take place? I don't know. How may the restraints on man become legitimate? I do believe I can answer that question…”

At this meeting we will once again spend the first hour looking at a couple of the Pensées of Pascal, and then we will continue discussing On the Social Contract.

Please read to the end of Book 3 of On the Social Contract before the meeting.

Rousseau wrote on a wide variety of subjects, but the group will first delve into his political theory. And, while the group will concentrate on Rousseau, we may also take a look at other writers of the French Enlightenment; i.e. Montesquieu, Diderot, and, although he was a bit earlier, Montaigne.

This is the translation of the Rousseau we will be using in the meetings: https://annas-archive.org/md5/9c70d9441bf70f896c87a1ccd668c0bd

This is the edition of the Pascal we'll use in the meeting:
https://annas-archive.org/md5/6f44e8b57466bc72a7dac5b6b1ec1e96