Herder's conception of "das Volk"Simpson, Georgiana Rose
Philosophy
Herder's conception of "das Volk"
Simpson, Georgiana Rose
German language -- Etymology; German language -- Semantics; Herder, Johann Gottfried, 1744-1803; Thesis (Ph. D.)
But the idea of progress implied not only the teaching that the good
of one must be the good of all, but meant also: (1) That man was not
self-sufficient and therefore could come to fullest development only
in the group. (2) That the seeds of individuality lay within man as a
universal element and were nurtured and brought to flower by the peculiar
touch of him who was expressed in their flowering. The fundamental
tendencies in mankind being allowed to unfold, the man will be good; this
goodness is the essential thing in his manhood, and it is natural.
_Emile._—The keynote of Rousseau’s doctrine here is that of absolute
reliance upon nature without impeding or diverting her progress at
any point. He is in accord with the epistemological side of Locke’s
philosophy, and therefore demands that Emile shall have his senses well
developed. He is to have a strong vigorous body, full of courage and
hardihood. Moral education is to be the result of natural discipline
carried on in a sort of laissez-faire way. In general, Emile gets his
education by being thrown into contact with nature and being allowed to
observe and feel the phenomena of a crude environment, and by expressing
directly what he has learned at first hand from this teacher. Emile,
then, is shaped by primitive forces just as the simple, common man in the
_Social Contract_ and the _Inequality_. These made the simple, common man
the epitome of that which was of greatest worth to humanity.
_Origin of language._—In fixing the beginnings of speech, Rousseau says
we can believe that necessities dictated the first movements, and that
passions called forth the first voices. The genius of oriental languages,
the most ancient known to us, have nothing in them that is methodical or
reasoned out; they are vivacious and figurative. It is evident that the
origin of languages is not at all due to the primary needs of man. The
origin is due to the moral needs, to the passions. It is neither hunger
nor thirst, but love, hate, pity, or anger which have called forth from
men the first voices. Fruits do not steal away from our hands at all;
one may nourish one’s self with them without talking; we may follow in
silence the prey of which we wish to make a repast; but to move a young
heart, to repel an unjust aggressor, nature dictates accents, cries, and
tones of resentment. It was for this reason that the oldest words were
invented.
The following quotations affirm in a general way the preceding statements
of Rousseau’s philosophy:
L’astronomie est née de la superstition, de la haine,
de la flatterie, du mensonge;
la géométrie, de l’avarice;
la physique, d’une vaine curiosité;
toute et la morale même de l’orgueil humain.
Les sciences et les arts doivent donc leur naissance à nos vices.
Discours sur les Sciences et les Arts, Part. II:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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