Rousseau's society and education philosophy: Human imagination and view of woman in Emile

In this thesis, according to Jean Jacques Rousseau, it is intended to recognize person and show how to give shape his life over this recognition status through training. In this review, Rousseau's Emile is the focal point of our study. It is occurred appropriate to begin thesis with 'Natural State and Natural Goodness' section. To get to know a person, it is more convenient to look at his initial state of existence. The first state of existence of human is accepted as a natural state by Rousseau. According to Rousseau, human has not been able to maintain this situation throughout his life, and the natural state has been replaced by an artificial situation. From this point of view, 'Social Status and Alienation Problem' is determined as the second part of the study. In this section, the passages that Rousseau approaches with negative criticism due to move away from natural state and alienation against to himself are given. On the other hand, in this thesis, it is aimed to convey that human beings can live according to their naturalness through education. Considering that Rousseau himself is a dialectician, the following conclusion can be reached: As a result of human intervention in the natural flow of life, human is removed from nature. Even if the return to this natural status can not be realized again, with the help of education, human may lead to a life which is appropriate to the naturalness that he longs. This content desired to be given in the section 'Natural Education: Education in Accordance with Human Nature'. According to Rousseau, if human had been left uneducated and left on his own, this could have caused the human nature to disappear. In the thesis, 'Education of the Child' is the most basic part of the thesis. In this section, Emile, who is Rousseau's instructor, tries to emphasize on what kind of education a person should receive from the moment he is born. It make a justification on how a person will be in contact with their parents in childhood and then with their instructor when they reach the age of education, and with others when they feels ready to life. With this life-regulating function of education, human makes himself, his natural environment and society, in short, the whole universe the subject of education. In the 'Aims of Education' section, it is emphasized that the person who expands and develops her knowledge is smart, free, moral, and human of his age. Thus, in the 'Education of the Individual' section, we achieve that the individual who attains these qualifications aimed at education is a strong, harmonious and free individual who can reveal his capacities. In thesis, based on this individual understanding, it includes Rousseau's thoughts about the woman. Rousseau's views on this issue are called 'Women's Education'. In this last part of the thesis, as a result of the distinction between the sexes of women, it explains what kind of education should be given to women. When it comes to women's education, Rousseau offers the woman a model of education through maternity duties. Women's education is great importance in order to educate people as human beings.