context of Enlightenment thought. The opening of the work introduces the reader to Hensel's purpose and approach. He emphasizes Jean-Jacques Rousseau's role as a pivotal figure bridging the Enlightenment's classical ideas and emerging new notions of human existence. Hensel outlines Rousseau's inclination to reflect on the human condition and society's evolution, contrasting him with contemporaries like Voltaire. The author positions Rousseau as a visionary who, plagued by contradictions, sought to explore deeper truths about humanity and societal dynamics—setting the stage for a comprehensive dive into Rousseau's philosophical theories in subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)