I like Rousseau’s idea of education for children in his Emile: or A Treatise on Education. Rousseau says for a child to grow up healthy is to live in a state of nature. Children should not be bothered with formal education and strict instructions. They should be allowed to explore. We should not be in a rush to educate children and let them enjoy their youthful days.  Rousseau also says, “Nature would have them children before they are men. If we try to invert this order we shall produce a forced fruit immature and flavourless, fruit which will be rotten before it is ripe; we shall have young doctors and old children” (Rousseau 7). Hence Rousseau is trying to say we must follow the order of education or else we will be unable to produce a natural, real, and uncorrupted “fruit”.

I also liked Rousseau’s idea of how we should teach children. Rather than teaching from books, why not show it? Rousseau says, “As a general rule–never substitute the symbol for the thing signified, unless it is impossible to show the thing itself” (Rousseau 16). In the text, Rousseau provides us with an example where he and Emile explore a forest and try to find their way back to town. Emile was tired and feeling hopeless. However, through Rousseau’s help they find their way back. It is through this experience that Emile will remember what he learned. He would of forgotten this lecture if he was taught at home. Rousseau supports this with, “Teach by doing whenever you can, and only fall back upon words when doing is out of the question (Rousseau 20). This idea resonates Locke’s idea about experience. It is through experience where Emile’s knowledge expanded.

What bothered me the most in Rousseau’s text was his idea of Sophy. Why must women be “weak and passive” and the men be “strong and active” (Rousseau 35)? Why must the women care for what others have to think of her? It should not concern others what she does. I believe a woman will do just as fine without a man as a man will do fine without a woman. Women are not always dependent on man. Rousseau’s idea of Sophy is extremely ridiculous.