Enlightment and the freedom of thought
Enlightment and the freedom of thought
What is Enlightment ?
Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed nonage. Nonage is the inability to use one's own understanding without another's guidance. This nonage is self-imposed if its cause lies not in lack of understanding but in indecision and lack of courage to use one's own mind without another's guidance. Dare to know! "Have the courage to use your own understanding," is therefore the motto of the enlightenment. Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why such a large part of mankind gladly remain minors all their lives. They are the reasons why it is so easy for others to set themselves up as guardians. It is so comfortable to be a minor. If I have a book that thinks for me, a pastor who acts as my conscience, a physician who prescribes my diet, and so on--then I have no need to exert myself. I have no need to think, if only I can pay; others will take care of that disagreeable business for me. Those guardians who have kindly taken supervision upon themselves see to it that the overwhelming majority of mankind should consider the step to maturity, not only as hard, but as extremely dangerous. They show people the threats which appear when you think for yourself like the possibility of making a mistake. But this is not such a great danger since every mistake is just an opportunity to learn. As Kant said “ After stumbling a few times you would , at least, learn how to walk “ . However, examples of such failures intimidate and generally discourage all further attempts. Thus it is very difficult for the individual to work himself out of the nonage which has become almost second nature to him. He has even grown to like it, and is at first really incapable of using his own understanding because he has never been permitted to try it. Dogmas and formulas are the fetters of the everlasting nonage. It is more nearly possible, however,
What is Enlightment ?
Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed nonage. Nonage is the inability to use one's own understanding without another's guidance. This nonage is self-imposed if its cause lies not in lack of understanding but in indecision and lack of courage to use one's own mind without another's guidance. Dare to know! "Have the courage to use your own understanding," is therefore the motto of the enlightenment. Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why such a large part of mankind gladly remain minors all their lives. They are the reasons why it is so easy for others to set themselves up as guardians. It is so comfortable to be a minor. If I have a book that thinks for me, a pastor who acts as my conscience, a physician who prescribes my diet, and so on--then I have no need to exert myself. I have no need to think, if only I can pay; others will take care of that disagreeable business for me. Those guardians who have kindly taken supervision upon themselves see to it that the overwhelming majority of mankind should consider the step to maturity, not only as hard, but as extremely dangerous. They show people the threats which appear when you think for yourself like the possibility of making a mistake. But this is not such a great danger since every mistake is just an opportunity to learn. As Kant said “ After stumbling a few times you would , at least, learn how to walk “ . However, examples of such failures intimidate and generally discourage all further attempts. Thus it is very difficult for the individual to work himself out of the nonage which has become almost second nature to him. He has even grown to like it, and is at first really incapable of using his own understanding because he has never been permitted to try it. Dogmas and formulas are the fetters of the everlasting nonage. It is more nearly possible, however,