Wollstonecraft

2. Mary Wollstonecraft argues with Rousseau’s argument that man was created as a solitary animal. She goes on to explain that his initial concept has good intentions, but she argues that man has not created evil by becoming civilized and functioning around others. Rousseau argues that man should be this solitary animal yet he applauds the work of Gaius Fabricius who criticized Roman emperors for not being barbaric enough and not conquering enough of the world (377). This support of Fabricius makes no sense along with his earlier argument that man should be left alone.
Wollstonecraft believes that the fountain of life gave us feelings and passions to make us better and to inspire us to do well. She believes, “Firmly persuaded that no evil exists in the world that God did not design to take place, I build my belief on the perfection of God” (377). It seems as though Rousseau believes that after God created man, man created all of the evils and all men became evil. Wollstonecraft argues that to find perfection within life one must have good and evil balance each other and to not view evil as a positive.
She also believes that women should be able to acquire an education on the same level as men to become a better companion to men. She believes that unless women are educated like men they will halt the progress of their true virtue. Equality between men and women will bring more happiness and virtue to society (378). She does not want women to concern themselves with only domestic duties because they will be ignorant beings not contributing to society. She feels that marriages will become more sacred with the equality of men and women. Women are not exploring their true virtues by being domestic and not furthering their knowledge. All will be better with more rights granted to women.