“To be” and “to appear”

This chapter discusses one of the ways in which Rousseau articulates what he takes to be a key problem that besets society, and on Smith's contrasting take on the issue. That problem concerns a split between "to be" and "to appear". The chapter examines Rousseau's characterization of self-falsification by looking briefly at several key passages in Rousseau's Discourses and Preface. It explores a quoted passage from Smith's The Wealth of Nations which at first glance would seem to offer a successful reply to Rousseau's critique. The chapter suggests that, on further reflection, though, Rousseau's challenge is not so easily dismissed. It examines, among other things, what Rousseau might mean by "freedom". The chapter also examines the same with regard to Smith, and attempts to work out further the dialectic between two thinkers. It offers a brief coda which reflects a familiar issue, that of historical agency, but with particular emphasis on a metaphilosophical issue that divides two thinkers.