Question 1)

Political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau asserts the importance of solitude arguing man by nature is a solitary animal growing increasingly more wicked with social interaction. Mary Wollstonecraft disagrees with Rousseau instead contending the state of human nature favors social behavior. Historically women have been confined to their homes restricted from participating in social and political activities. As a man, Rousseau enjoyed movement between both the private and public spheres a luxury women were typically denied. Wollstonecraft thinks Rousseau views evil as a positive force and only the work of man. In opposition, Wollstonecraft most likely views evil as the result of God, because he would not create something without knowing its end result. Further, Wollstonecraft disagrees with Rousseau because he “exerts himself to prove that all was right originally.” In opposition, Wollstonecraft puts her faith in the perfection of God believing that “no evil exists in the world.” Further, Wollstonecraft argues that Rousseau “celebrates barbarism,” and writes about slaves who rescued their oppressors. Wollstonecraft would identify with the oppressed and not understand efforts of the enslaved to rescue viscous oppressors. Rousseau enjoyed a vastly different lifestyle than Wollstonecraft and the two writers disagreed on key points about the nature of man.