Rousseau's educational proposal as possibility for the restructuring of post-pandemic man of post-pandemic man

Abstract

The present study offers a philosophical–educational reflection grounded in the behaviors observed during the Covid-19 pandemic, taking as its theoretical horizon the principles advanced by the modern philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Rousseau proposes an education guided by objectivity and a genuine concern for childhood, particularly through what he terms “negative education.” According to Rousseau (2017), the pedagogical model capable of enabling human beings to return to their original state of freedom is achievable only through the General Will, presided over by a leader able to ensure the necessary conditions for the implementation of such an educational model. The objective of this article is to analyze Rousseau’s assumptions in the field of education to identify how his proposals may contribute to the reconstruction of the human being in the post-pandemic context. Methodologically, the study presents a bibliographic and comparative review of contemporary behaviors contrasted with the contributions of the Genevan philosopher, employing both the hermeneutic method and the analytic–synthetic method. It is argued that the form of education revealed during the pandemic requires rethinking and strengthening through resources that renew its methodologies and enhance its contribution to society, with the aim of cultivating a human being who is free, critical, and committed to the development and innovation of his or her environment.