Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality (also known as the Second Discourse) is the subject of David Runciman's 1st talk for the second series of the Talking Politics and History of Ideas podcast.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was abandoned by his father (his mother died when he was 9 days old) when he was 10. The boy was left in kinship care with an uncle who in turn fostered him out for 2 years.

David Runciman doesn't talk about this, but does talk about how Rousseau abandoned his own children, 5 of them, to a foundling home. He's not a 'nice' philosopher concludes Runciman.