Rousseau and the Future of Freedom by Eric Deibel HARDBACK 9781032045238

Taylor & Francis > Maynooth University

This book examines Rousseau\u2019s conception of freedom and its significance for our modern technological world. Drawing on Rousseau\u2019s thought to explore the changing nature of authority, science and technology in modern society, the book\u2019s approach points to how Rousseau had a tragic conception of freedom, one that parallels the circumstances that characterize our own desire for freedom and democracy. Rousseau\u2019s critique of progress is integral to his thought in general and underrated when it comes to our own studies of science, technology and society. This volume refers to cases from the world of \""free software\"" to consider our own predicament with how a flood of code and algorithms that is being wrapped around everything from our stuff to our food, to our bodies, our brains and \u2013 by extension \u2013 our freedom. As such, it will appeal to scholars of social and political theory, philosophy and ethics, particularly those with interests in science and technolo.