The birth of "ordinary hero" : transformation of the concepts of Hero and Heroism in 18^<th> century France.

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This research aimed to show the process through which the meanings of the concepts of "hero" and "heroism" changed in late 18^<th> century France: from hero as "great sage" to hero as "member of the community". For that purpose, we analysed Rousseau's thought on "hero" and "heroism", and also his contemporaries' thoughts. Art is for Rousseau a means to realize Nature's purpose. Contrary to other philosophers of the time, he was doubtful about the benefits of the progress of art and technology. Attaching importance to using human art to lead men to stay as ordinary and natural beings, just as Nature has created them and wanted them to be, Jean-Jacques opened a chance not only to few elites, but also to ordinary people to become political subjects in their society. In this research, we tried to clarify the social context of late 18^<th> century France, which accepted Rousseau's thought and prepared the birth of an "active citizen" who would become a new political subject. In this way, we tried to evaluate Rousseau's thought in the contemporary stream of thought, and succeeded to clarify the process of the changing meanings of the concepts of "hero" and "heroism" in late 18^<th> century France.