''Amour-propre'' (; ) is a French term that can be variously translated as "self-love", "self-esteem", or "vanity". In philosophy, it is a term used by

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...

, who contrasts it with another kind of self-love which he calls ''

amour de soi ''Amour de soi'' (; ) is a concept in the philosophy of Jean-Jacques Rousseau that refers to the kind of self-love that humans share with brute animals and predates the appearance of society. Concept Rousseau maintained in '' Emile'' that ''a ...

''. According to Rousseau, the difference between the two is that ''amour-propre'' assumes that self-esteem can only be found by gaining the approval of others, whereas ''amour de soi'' involves one's feelings for oneself alone, without any intervening concerns about how one is seen by others. According to Rousseau, ''amour de soi'' is more primitive and is compatible with wholeness and happiness, while ''amour-propre'' is a form of self-love that arose only with the appearance of society and individuals' consequent ability to compare themselves with one another. Rousseau thought that ''amour-propre'' was subject to corruption, thereby causing vice and misery. But in addition, by guiding us to seek others' approval and recognition, ''amour-propre'' can contribute positively to virtue. The term ''amour-propre'' predates Rousseau and is found in the writings of Blaise Pascal, La Rochefoucauld,

Pierre Nicole Pierre Nicole (19 October 1625 – 16 November 1695) was one of the most distinguished of the French Jansenists. Life Born in Chartres, he was the son of a provincial barrister, who took in charge his education. Sent to Paris in 1642 to study t ...

Jacques Abbadie Jakob Abbadie (; 25 September 1727), also known as Jacques or James Abbadie, was a French Protestant minister and writer. He became Dean of Killaloe, in Ireland. Life Jacques Abbadie was born at Nay, Béarn, probably in 1654, although 1657 an ...

, and many others. Pascal detested self-love, self-esteem, ego, vanity as well perhaps, which are interchangeable terms for him, because it puts the self in the place of God. He suggested it was unfair that we are born with the desire to be loved by others, but unavoidable due to the consequence of the

Fall Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...

, or original sin. Christianity was the only true remedy to this wretched state of man known as ''amour-propre''.

References

{{Jean-Jacques Rousseau Concepts in the philosophy of mind Self Jean-Jacques Rousseau