more from Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Single Idea 19807

[catalogued under 2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 2. Sufficient Reason]

Full Idea

Under the law of reason nothing takes place without a cause, any more than under the law of nature.

Gist of Idea

Both nature and reason require that everything has a cause

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], II.04)

Book Reference

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.157


A Reaction

Is this the influence of Leibniz? Note that the principle is identified in two different areas, so in nature we may say 'everything has a cause', and in rationality we may say 'there is a reason for everything'. But are these the same?