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According to Rousseau in his Discourse on the Sciences and Arts, the advancement of the science and arts leads to corruption of taste. Luxury as Rousseau describes is key to "dissolution of morals" (53). In other words, loss of morals goes hand in hand with the gain of luxury because of the advancement of the science and arts. For Rousseau "Luxury rarely develops without the sciences and the arts" (50). Rousseau argues that people lose a sense of virtue, if the only reason they want to advance in sciences and arts is to gain glorification from others. This mentality causes corruption in the eyes of Rousseau. Rousseau argues that "with money one has everything, except morals and citizens" (52). For Rousseau a true philosophic genius will be virtuous, if he knows that happiness is based on morals and virtue rather than on "money and business" (51), so enlightenment can only purify morals when it isn't based on wealth and luxury. If one can make this distinction, according to Rousseau, then one knows his role as a true philosophical genius.

Rousseau states in his Discourse that having good morals plays a major role in the stability of an empire. Rousseau argues that "luxury is diametrically opposed to good morals" (51). According to Rousseau there seems to be a paradox between the ability of luxury to corrupt a state and luxury as a sign of wealth within an empire. Rousseau seems to be arguing that virtue is loss, when one must gain wealth in order to be recognized as important. Rousseau discourages the notion that wealth and luxury should epitomize what a true philosophic genius should be. Rousseau argues that a virtuous man can't be labeled as virtuous only by looking at the outside. "Ornamentation" as he calls it "is no less foreign to virtue, which is the strength and vigor of the soul" (37). For Rousseau, the virtuous man doesn't hide his flaws behind a veil, but rather can accept them. Rousseau argues that this false veil is caused by of the advancement of the sciences and arts.
According to Rousseau, as the advancement of the science and arts increases, then morals and virtue seem to go down. Rousseau states "our souls have been corrupted in proportion to the advancement of our sciences and arts towards perfection" (39). In order to play the role of a true philosophical genius, one must realize that happiness isn't based on the idea that endless enlightenment should cause a greater good for all mankind, present and future. Perfection shouldn't be the aim of the true philosophical genius, but rather aiming towards virtue and happiness should be the key. A true philosophical genius for Rousseau will advance in the sciences and arts, keeping in mind the benefit of the greater good and not of the prestige or glory that he might gain as one person. For Rousseau, enlightenment needs to begin with understanding the complexities of one-self to attain true virtue and happiness. If one aims at perfection, it will only lead to corrupt. This corruption creates loss of morals which is essential in the development of living a happy and virtuous life, according to Rousseau.

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