This thesis examines Rousseau’s understanding of the education of a moral and free
individual, primarily as presented in *Emile, or On Education*. The central question of this
thesis is how, according to Rousseau, one should educate a moral person. I start from the
thesis that humans are born good but are not yet moral, and therefore morality must be
developed through appropriate education. In this process, the educator plays a crucial role; he
or she must adapt the child’s upbringing to his or her nature, protect the child from harmful
social influences, and foster the development of the child’s freedom, independence, and
compassion. This paper examines Rousseau’s concepts of nature, negative education,
happiness, and dependence. Special attention is given to the distinction between love of
oneself (amour de soi) and self-love (amour-propre). While the former represents concern for
one’s own existence and is morally uncorrupted, the latter stems from comparison with others
and dependence on public opinion and distances a person from freedom and happiness.
Rousseau’s pedagogy is also compared in this paper with Kant’s understanding of education.
Both philosophers attribute a key role to education in shaping a moral person; however,
Rousseau associates’ morality primarily with compassion and conscience, while Kant
associates it with reason, discipline, and the moral law. The conclusion also discusses
Rousseau’s influence on contemporary pedagogy.
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