In his Discourse on the Arts and Sciences, the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau addresses a possibility rarely discussed by either his predecessors or contemporaries; the idea that the arts and sciences have corrupted man. Before the introduction of the arts and sciences, man, in the State of Nature, was natural and easily identifiable. Although human nature was still imperfect, as it always has been, there was a certain security in knowing that a person's character could be immediately seen and interpreted. Now, as a result of the influence of the arts, there exists a set of rules and behaviors that only serve to deceive others from knowing a person's true nature. As a result, society, which Rousseau calls a herd, is now bound by conformity to act similarly in certain situations. Social conformism, instead of changing men's hearts, only serves to hide the true intentions of individuals. Without such authenticity, the vices of betrayal, fear and blasphemy, rather than appearing at face value, remain hidden, but ever-present. Acting under the guise of honest sincerity, perpetrated by conformity, vices have effectively limited morality to the point where a person's actions and feelings are no longer the same. Rousseau was so convinced of this correlation between progress and depravity that he believes that the corruption of humanity is directly proportional to its progress in the arts and sciences. This bold statement, supported by the examples provided by the fall of great empires such as Egypt, Greece and Rome, reveals a curious tendency for great powers to succumb to debauchery and immorality. After thoroughly explaining his belief that the arts and sciences lead to corruption, and, subsequently...... half of the document ...... first and second speeches together, it becomes evident that Rousseau believes that conformism , as established by the arts and sciences, can be more easily countered in a democracy. A democratic state, by enabling and nurturing notions of individuality, solidarity and hope, acts as an excellent counter to social conformity. While certainly not immune to conformity, citizens of a democracy are at least afforded the opportunity to challenge society and, therefore, preserve their individuality. Despite this freedom to do so, however, individuals often struggle to resist the conformity brought about by the arts and sciences. Works Cited Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "First speech." The first and second speeches. New York: St. Martin's, 1964. 39-40. Print.Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. "First speech." The first and second speeches. New York: St. Martin's, 1964. 48-50. Press.