Jean-Jacques Rousseau quote about science from Emile, or On Education - Let him not be taught science, let him discover it. If ever you substitute authority for reason he will cease to reason; he will be a mere plaything of other people's thoughts.

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“ Let him not be taught science, let him discover it. If ever you substitute authority for reason he will cease to reason; he will be a mere plaything of other people's thoughts. ”
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, or On Education (1762). copy citation

Author	Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Source	Emile, or On Education
Topic	science teaching discovery
Date	1762
Language	English
Reference
Note	Translated by Barbara Foxley
Weblink	http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5427/pg5427-images.html

Context

“Teach your scholar to observe the phenomena of nature; you will soon rouse his curiosity, but if you would have it grow, do not be in too great a hurry to satisfy this curiosity. Put the problems before him and let him solve them himself. Let him know nothing because you have told him, but because he has learnt it for himself. Let him not be taught science, let him discover it. If ever you substitute authority for reason he will cease to reason; he will be a mere plaything of other people's thoughts.
You wish to teach this child geography and you provide him with globes, spheres, and maps. What elaborate preparations! What is the use of all these symbols; why not begin by showing him the real thing so that he may at least know what you are talking about?” source

Original quote

“Qu'il ne sache rien parce que vous le lui avez dit, mais parce qu'il l'a compris lui-même ; qu'il n'apprenne pas la science, qu'il l'invente. Si jamais vous substituez dans son esprit l'autorité à la raison, il ne raisonnera plus ; il ne sera...” Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Émile, ou De l’éducation