it's okay that we don't get along, but why not?

In our class discussion today, I was fascinated by how polarized the class became over The Sorrows of Young Werther. Upon further thought, here are two possible (but by no means certain) causes for the division:

1. Existence vs. Essence. Sartre defines existentialism as placing value on "existence over essence." It would follow that "existentialists" of the class do not feel Werther is a true artist, as he does not have a tangible output of paintings. Idealists, on the other hand, who place essence over existence, may find Werther to be not only an artists, but a great one. This is because his soul perceives beauty and absorbs emotions, and these are two indispensable skills to the artist.
2. Head vs. Heart. True, a little played out, but this binary must be mentioned. Werther lives his life based on heart, which some admire, others look down upon.
   

Closing Thought:

I care about knowing why people disagree more than what the right answer is. Sometimes there is a right answer, sometimes there isn't. And if there is, it's usually mine. *That was a joke.*

Thought on Rousseau

One line bugged me: "I leave to anyone who will undertake it, the discussion of the following difficult problem: Which was the more necessary, a society already established for the invention of language, or language already invented for the establishment of society?" (96-97).

This is why I don't like telling people I meet that I am a Philosophy major: philosophers are known for getting themselves in ruts, and it's true! It's frustrating! It's time-consuming! It's infuriating!

So what's my answer to this 'paradox' Rousseau lays out before us? I respond boldly and simply: "Both." And this is not a cop-out response. Allow me to explain the logic: the point of language is for an individual to communicate with another individual and one individual wouldn't need to communicate with any other individuals unless these other individuals were around. Therefore, 'language' and 'society' grew concurrently. Presto.

I'm a philosopher. This is not reductionist. This is thought. Clear, plain, and simple.

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andy