『고백』에 나타난 루소의 독서활동에 대한 교육적 가치

Educational Values of Reading Activity from Rousseau's Confessions

The purpose of this paper is to find the characteristics of reading activity from Rousseau's autobiography, Confessions and to discover its educational values. Rousseau, who had not received a formal education, accomplished an outstanding intellectual achievement through reading activity and became the most effective thinker of the 18th century. Moreover, he broadened his academic map by sustaining intellectual relationships with the great thinkers of the time. The researcher was able to discover the implications below, through Confessions. First, Rousseau grew up in a promising environment that assured to read and built a reading habit. A reading habit should be built in youth. Since the culture of reading, contemplation, and conversation is the critical cornerstone of developing a reading habit, a mutual relationship between homes and schools should provide an environment that could embrace the interest in reading. Also, suitable books for the childhood and boyhood should be the classics which could set an honorable model of life. Second, Rousseau was able to acquire knowledges from liberal arts; in other words, reading, writing, speaking, listening, calculations, etc by forming a stable relationship with a reading habit. The modem school education should place more interest in acquiring these skills. Third, Rousseau maintained his self-education throughout his whole life. The biggest purpose of reading is self-education. Reading activity is much more vitalized when contemplation, conversation, and writing support it.