Immanuel Kant’s famous essay, “What is Enlightenment?” is a call to action, challenging readers to “Dare to Know;” to think independently and freely using one’s own reason and understanding.
In 300-500 words, reflect on the broader implications of Kant’s ideas on enlightenment as they pertain to our contemporary society. Do you think his arguments are still valid today? How might his principles of enlightenment be applied to some of the social, religious and political issues or challenges our societies are facing today? How do we make sense of his argument on issues such as war and human rights? What are the possible ramifications and societal impacts of the pursuit of individual autonomy and reason, as advocated by Kant?
Make sure to ground your response in concrete examples from both the essay and from contemporary society. Please do not summarize the essay; instead, as Kant instructs us, “Have the courage to use your own understanding” to write about what enlightenment and independent thinking could look like today!
Blog post 3 is due by Thursday, Feb. 15, 11:59 p.m.
Comments are due by Friday, Feb. 16, 11:59 p.m.
Kant’s famous essay “What is enlightenment?” is very significant in today’s society and the challenges that globally occur today. In this essay he talks about the individual and how it affects them in many factors of life such as political, economic as well as religious factors. In the text he mentions independent thinking which I believe plays a huge role in many contemporary factors we see today.
An example of this independent thinking would be in politics today and socially. For example, it is more important than ever to think honestly and autonomously in the era of social media and elevated political circumstances. Kant might say that enlightenment is made difficult by irrational adherence to rules or caving in to groupthink, which restricts genuine understanding and significant discourse.
If we think about it Kant’s idea of enlightenment suggests many techniques of addressing contemporary political issues for example warfare. This idea can be used in contemporary society to defend the broad scope of human rights, combat structural injustices, and support those who are less fortunate. In addition, Kant’s idea of enlightenment and his emphasis on the rational discourse can be used to prevent as well as resolve political conflicts and war. His idea states that through the use of communications we can prevent violence both in our social life as well as in the political life.
Kant’s ideas are extremely valuable but do raise the question about potential ramifications and societal impacts. Due to the increase in globalization in the contemporary society individual autonomy must meet with social responsibility. What an individual wants to do in the name of self-interest should not harm the general wellbeing of the people in society. I believe through Kant’s ideas we can learn how to handle many contemporary issues especially warfare which has increased severely in the past few years.
I also feel that globalization has a constant societal impact and that Kant pushes us to be completely responsible for our knowledge. Because of globalization, we see an emergence of knowledge and technologies that are freely accessible, making us more prone to rely on them. Furthermore, Kant’s views are still relevant and can assist in making society much more enlightened.
Throughout the text “What is Enlightenment?” by Immanuel Kant, the failure of individuals to achieve Enlightenment is attributed to our immaturity, which means that we rely on others for understanding rather than ourselves, and the lack of resolution is self-incurred. Furthermore, he believes that the key to enlightenment is freedom, and he provides several examples of how we lack freedom in society as a result of those in positions of authority. I believe that his argument remains applicable today: we cannot acquire full enlightenment because we are always reliant on others and lack the freedom to be enlightened. We see in today’s social and political situations that human rights are being questioned, as to whether we as individuals genuinely have the freedom that is stated, or if they are merely words put in the law. People in positions of authority frequently violate the rights of those below them, preventing the majority of us from experiencing true freedom.
Some issues in contemporary society we have seen are significant amounts of racial injustice over the years, and a movement that resulted from the injustice was the Black Lives Matter movement. Also, we are constantly flooded with misleading information that we are compelled to believe, and Kant tells us not to rely on others and to distinguish between truth and falsehoods. In the text he states, “If I have a book to serve as my understanding, a pastor to serve as my conscience, a physician to determine my diet for me, and so on, I need not exert myself at all.” In this quote, Kant explains that when we rely on everything to determine our understanding, it tends to mislead us. He encourages us to further examine and understand the information being presented, similar to the issue of fake news, in which we easily and without hesitation believe what we hear and see rather than understanding the truth.
Some probable societal impacts of Kant’s advocacy of individual autonomy and reason include enabling critical thinking and political matters such as democracy; he wants individuals in society to have a voice and to participate in the presence of such ideas. Democracy and political expressions play a role in what Kant is attempting to express, but in my opinion, while democracy allows everyone to have a voice, it only allows the majority to do so, which is problematic since the minority will not be heard and will not have the same freedom as the majority. However, being able to critically evaluate and grasp what is being taught to you is crucial because you are relying on yourself, as Kant encourages, and it allows you to become enlightened.
I find it amazing how Kant’s theories may be used in political circumstances on a larger scale as well as in interpersonal encounters. Encouraging reasoned talks about and increasing in value of other perspectives may be viable techniques for making a more peaceful community.
Your analysis of the essay was phenomenal, I really enjoyed reading your response and it was very thorough and straightforward. It’s very fascinating to me how an essay from hundreds of years ago can resonate so strongly with today’s society and its issues even after the world has changed so drastically since Kant’s tiem period.
Hi Almira,
You’ve made really good points. I especially like how you pointed out that enlightenment is connected to freedom. I agree because the individual that is relying on others for whatever matter can not be free individual.
I agree with your connection of enlightenment and freedom. It is a fact that freedom is something you have to work for.
In Immanuel Kant’s essay “What is Enlightenment?”, he discusses his definition of enlightenment as a journey that is only able to be taken by those who are free and unafraid to think independently and take the time to understand the world’s endless knowledge. Based on Kant’s ideas on enlightenment, our contemporary society is a great example of a society that has access to this endless knowledge, yet we are still too immature to think for ourselves. Regarding freedom, I feel that we are much freer than many societies even today to search for information and learn the truth for ourselves. Yet, there are a lot of restrictions that we don’t realize have been put on our method of learning: the internet. We are able to use our own understanding since we have access to the internet, but many trust information on the internet without verifying it. Whether the information stems from social media or a simple Google search, it is easy to be subjected to both misinformation and disinformation (which connects to Kant’s idea of being “intentionally contrived”); even the most intelligent people are easily deceived if they don’t fact check on their own. Aside from the social media part of the internet, though it applies in this case as well, political and religious issues we face today are also perpetuated and exacerbated by the internet. Riots (both political and otherwise), movements, insurgencies, etc. that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic were all carried out during a rise in internet usage due to the necessary lockdown. All of these incidents occurred from following online “trends” so to say, depending on the religious, political, or social beliefs one had. A simple tweet, post, or article can automatically make someone believe what it said, even if it may not be true, or is intended to make us believe it in order to support a higher “guardian,” as Kant says. The internet began as a place to expand our knowledge and connect the world in ways never imagined (globalization), but it grew faster than our ability to learn how to discern what is true from what may be incorrect or fabricated to mislead us.
Although Kant speaks on the need for freedom to have enlightenment, he explains that a paradox exists. While civic freedom seems beneficial for spiritual freedom, it also raises limitations; less civil freedom on the other hand allows for more room for spiritual freedom to develop (Kant 63). Thus, with the pursuit of individual autonomy and reason, there are certain ramifications and societal impacts that can occur if society is not set up the right way. With a healthy constraint on civil freedom Kant believes that despite certain societal restrictions, it allows the seed of free thinking to be planted and to flourish (Kant 63). Moreover, the seed of free thinking leads for a society to be respected by their government rather than seen as machines or subjects to be controlled, as enlightenment trickles up and influences everyone. It seems then, that our society today has a bit too much freedom, and the government is taking advantage of that fact, as they have shown time and again that they don’t respect us and instead exploit the most underrepresented (the minority).
I really enjoyed reading your post; you made some interesting and persuasive points. I agree that the internet and the usage of technology creates a significant barrier to acknowledging the right knowledge and ensuring that we understand in depth what we see, read, and hear online. We are quite vulnerable to believing what is presented to us, and Kant makes an excellent point on how to avoid this and become enlightened.
Hi Jennifer, you explained it better than I did but I also had similar thoughts to the COVID-19 riots/movements. I believe that some people act upon their true beliefs as Kant suggests, but you are right about the internet… it is interesting how social media acts as a platform for some to express their true honest beliefs, while others follow those beliefs out of “laziness/cowardice.”
Hi Jennifer, I agree with what you’ve said when it comes to restrictions and the internet. But, another thing that prevents us from fully having our own thinking would be television. You turn it on and all you listen to are, for example- bad news, crimes etc that are chosen to be talked about. What others want you to hear you listen through tv. And so many news are not covered. In meanwhile, if you go let’s say on TikTok, you could hear about so many things from regular people, that are happening in the world, but general public is not informed about.
I believe that Kant was right when he said that one should use their own understanding and rely on their own judgment when making decisions. What I think he meant by being enlightened is to have the ability to think without the influence of others. This is important because you don’t just listen to what someone else does and then do the same without questioning why, but rather- you are actively making your own choices. You can take responsibility for your own actions. You can accomplish something and know that you did it by yourself. And if anything goes wrong- you blame nobody else but yourself. He mentions animals that become “stupid” because they stay in their circle. They don’t think they can go out of it. People teach them this because it suits them. This is what he calls immaturity. The same is true with people when they stay in their comfort zone. They don’t know of anything else except where they are and what they are doing. Like animals are scared to do something out of the ordinary, they don’t take any risks. The majority is scared of failure, but failure is essential for success. One should know who to listen to and in which situations. Different people can have different intentions so it’s crucial to be able not to be “ immature” and see through those intentions if you can.
The major example he used is the church. Are people using their own reasoning today when it comes to religion, I think yes, more than before. Before everything seemed to be more drastic, today people are more modern. But, environment plays a big role, in some countries religion is extreme, while some others will practice it, but not extreme.
His ideas can be compared with today because what he talks about is something that was and will always be present. You’ll be judged by the majority but a few will understand and relate to you if you dare to think outside of the box today too. Those few who dared to use their own judgment and think for themselves without blindly following what someone else says. But with this, one should be very careful, because a possible societal impact on such behavior is that you can easily be called a conspiracy theorist. If you are talking and showing too much, waking people up about some topic- you could possibly become a target of someone in a bigger position, or at least- be censored on social media.
I definitely agree with your point on how people are using more of their own reasoning about religion now than before. For example, the Catholic Church’s followers used to be illiterate, meaning that they could not use their own reasoning to decipher scripture.
The point you made on religion is very accurate. We see that especially today. I also like the point you made on judgement , and those who believe what other have to say don’t really understand the world.
I really liked how you pointed out that we can’t truly progress if we remain in our comfort zones. We seem trapped in an imaginary circle, and leaving it is frightening, but it’s imperative because true learning occurs by taking chances and embracing failure. It all comes down to developing the maturity to know when to push limits and when to exercise caution while taking advice.
I think that his enlightenment ideas of advocating people to think independently and respect human rights are still of great significance in modern society. Even though people’s minds have been liberated to a certain extent nowadays, they still give up independent thinking due to a certain degree of laziness and timidity. For example, with the popularization of the Internet and the continuous development of social media, information overload sometimes makes people give up critical thinking and passively accept information that is hard to distinguish; social media also makes people vulnerable to the influence of group pressure, making it more difficult for them to express their own ideas and blindly follow the group.
On the social front, Kant supports respect for individual values and advocates a more inclusive society. Whether online or offline, people will always argue because they have different opinions, without realizing that different voices can exist at the same time. We can respect the different views of others without having to convince them that only their own views are valuable. In terms of religion, many countries now protect the freedom of personal religious beliefs, and it is a personal choice whether to believe in a religion or not, or what religion to believe in. As for politics, Kant’s idea of universalism helps international mutual assistance in solving common problems faced by mankind such as climate change.
On the issue of war and human rights, I am most inspired by the idea that “Humanity, whether in one’s own person or in the person of any other, should always be treated as an end in itself, never as a means to an end.”. Such a viewpoint views human beings as autonomous and valuable individuals, not as tools to achieve other goals. With regard to war, it can be said that war is immoral because it treats human beings as tools to achieve political ends. As for the issue of human rights, it can be viewed in the context of the work system of some technology companies nowadays. In Asia, some companies ignore the work life balance and implement a 72-hour work week, which seriously jeopardizes the human rights of their employees, treating them as a means to increase the profits of the company and ignoring their needs and rights as individuals.
Agreed. Humans should not be treated as cogs of some machine. As you said, humanity has found itself in a position where they are increasing the profits of a company and at the same time neglecting their own needs. This is a sacrifice that many must make in order to make ends meet.
Hi An Dai, I like how you use Asian working hours as an example of abuse of human rights. Do you know why aren’t these workers fighting for their rights? Is it because of what Kant mentions in his essay due to their cowardice? or are there any restrictions hindering the enlightenment process? Sapere Aude!
Kant’s enlightenment ideas particularly the appeal to “Dare to know!” strongly emphasize the need for independent thought and human development. Conveniently, we are given a lot of data accessible to us in today’s environment. It’s a continual reminder to us to think critically, look for the truth, and defy authority figures. Since they serve as the establishment for numerous of our majority rule standards and the way we approach information and instruction, his thoughts approximately the significance of reason and personal opportunity are still significant nowadays. Kant’s ageless appeal for autonomy and personal development pushes us to reflect, evolve, and ask questions.
Kant’s enlightened contemplations may offer a sharp examination of cutting-edge political, social, and dedicated challenges. For example, his center on utilizing reason to encourage peace and regard for human respect should serve as a direct for us in peaceful debate determination and securing everyone’s principal rights in things as war and human rights. We may aim toward a society where human rights are all around regarded and disputes are settled through exchange by putting Kant’s thoughts into reality. However, while discussing real events, the worldwide climate strikes that have been occurring spring to mind as one example. These 2019 challenges, initiated by young activists like Greta Thunberg, emphasize how basic it is to battle climate alter with reason and activity. These activists are imitating Kant’s request to think basically and act ethically for humankind and the environment by pushing for a quick activity to halt climate alteration. Kant’s backing of human freedom and reason raises a few potential results and societal impacts that have to be taken into thought. We might imagine a world where individuals make choices based on profound quality and reason on the off chance that we energize individuals to think for themselves and act morally. People may make decisions in a society where morality and reason are valued if we support people in thinking for themselves and acting appropriately. This might result in a more fair and evenhanded society as an entirety, as well as expanded regard for human rights and serene debate determination.
It’s really inspiring to see activists spread information we should be aware of. Without enlightenment, we would all be ignorant to the world’s problems.
In “What is Enlightenment?”, Immanuel Kant urges the audience to “Dare to Know!”; to think independently using their own reason rather than piggybacking off others. I believe that this essay, although written a few centuries ago, still remains relevant today as we enter a new age of technology and have to navigate information overload, religious divides, and political challenges.
In an era of social media with constant newsfeeds available every second of the day, the ability to distinguish true and false information and actually think about the information we obtain is very important. Kant influencing his audience to be “Daring to Know!” encourages us to question sources, take everything with a grain of salt, and form our own conclusions, instead of mindlessly accepting everything we see or hear.
Informed and engaged citizens are essential for any government. By encouraging us to think critically and challenge established narratives, Kant’s essay encourages us to stand up and hold our leaders accountable where there is wrongdoing, and by doing this we actively participate in shaping the future of our societies.
In a religious sense, I believe Kant urges us to be more mindful of other religions. In today’s world, many individuals are not accepting of others solely for the reason that they may not believe the same concepts they do, or perhaps do not look the same way they do. To expand on “Dare to Know!”, readers are encouraged to acknowledge opposing perspectives and seek common ground by challenging their own biases. Kant pushes for a stance through understanding and that just tolerance is not enough, especially in our current world with so much cultural and racial divide.
In conclusion, even centuries later, Kant’s call to “Dare to Know!” still resonates with our lives. Whether it’s newsfeeds, religious differences, or outright wrong leaders, he urges us to think critically, question everything, and form our own opinions. He pushes us to move beyond just tolerance and be understanding of those with different faiths by challenging our own beliefs and seeking common ground.
I completely agree with you. This relates to the laziness I was talking about. People rather have views shaped by bias and prejudice instead of doing thoughtful and careful research. We rather consume whatever is presented to us and what seems right to us in the moment. As you have mentioned, it is very important we dare to question others but also ourselves and the erroneous views we may have.
I enjoyed reading your post Timothy, and I resonate with your perspective on Kant’s belief in thinking independently. Your emphasis on the technological aspect adds depth to our discussion and isn’t something a lot of us would think to connect to the reading. It is also really intriguing how after centuries we can definitely still relate to the text.
I think that Kant’s take on “self-incurred immaturity” is especially prevalent in modern times, where it is becoming increasingly normal to gravitate toward convenience and instant gratification. One example that comes to mind is artificial intelligence, which has made it incredibly convenient to not think independently. In this respect, artificial intelligence is a “guardian” that–as Kant puts it–is instilling in humanity a fear of thinking for themselves.
Kant also brings up the importance of being able to freely use their public reasoning. From my understanding, public reasoning is a thought process dedicated to communicating something to the wider public. According to Kant, every person has the right to freely exercise their public reasoning. This reminds me of the principle of freedom of speech, where one has the right to express opinions without restraint. However, as Kant explains in the final paragraph of his essay, the freedom of public reasoning, civic reasoning, has its limits. Particularly, enlightened government rulers set some limits on citizens’ civic freedoms to prevent chaos. Therefore, Kant’s take on governance is not a complete free exercise of public reasoning. This parallels the United States, where we have limitations on free speech.
One specific quote that stood out to me from this essay is “The citizen cannot refuse to pay the taxes imposed on him…this same individual nevertheless does not act against the duty of a citizen if he, a scholar, expresses his thought publicly on the inappropriateness or even injustice of such taxes” (p. 60). This quote underscores the balance between civic duties and individual rights. This balance has implications for issues like war and human rights, promoting a society where citizens fulfill their duties, such as paying taxes to support the state, while retaining the right to criticize policies or actions they find unjust. Going back to what I mentioned before about the limitations on civic freedom, government has a duty to maintain societal order as well as protect citizens’ civic freedoms.
Hi Stephanie, I love that you brought up the topic of artificial intelligence, as it is more prevalent now than ever before in all aspects of our lives. A lot of students in particular use this as a means to get through their education, which goes completely against Kant’s belief that we should taking learning into our own hands and not follow others. The rise of AI in the educational setting only hurts our generation as in the future we won’t be as knowledgeable as we could be if only we did the work and thinking for ourselves. Albeit, AI could simply be used as a supportive tool, but as always those that are too “lazy and cowardly” will simply take the easiest route through life, even if it is more detrimental to their minds, and in turn our society’s future, to do so.
The similarities between freedom of public reasoning and freedom of speech were something I noticed as well. They both highlight the importance of individually expressing our thoughts and provoke engaging discourse.
I think Kant’s big ideas about enlightenment are still relevant today. Especially in this digital age where everyone’s opinions are much more accessible and we consume opinions at a more intense and larger rate compared to when Kant wrote “What is Enlightenment?”. Kant states “It is thus difficult for any individual man to work himself out of an immaturity that has become almost natural to him… they show them the danger that threatens them if they attempt to proceed on their own”(Kant 59). Kant’s point of “immaturity” can be highlighted by the constant use of social media. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are platforms that have become ingrained and natural for everyone in our society to participate in. These platforms have become endless streams of news that can entail repetitive discourse and opinions therefore creating an echo chamber viewed by millions of users. Users scroll and may not think critically about the content an algorithm is giving them to consume, therefore challenging enlightenment in users. Despite this challenge, if used properly social media can be a great place for people to share their opinions and participate in conversations. Kant states “Have the courage to use your own understanding! Is thus the motto of enlightment” (Kant 58). Kant emphasizes the courage it can take to critically engage. In this context, social media can be an intimidating place to post a differing opinion if it is not widely accepted already. But it would be a great way to practice enlightenment. When we as a society prioritize individual freedom and reason we can become more inclined to progress culturally and intellectually. It can encourage many to challenge beliefs and shift what can be considered common sense. Gender equality was once considered an outrageous concept 100 years ago but because people challenged that notion they were able to push the boundaries for women and advance to society.
You have a very good point. We tend to demonize social media. However, it can be used for a good cause. We can use social media to come together as a community but also celebrate our individuality. We just have to challenge ourselves to think more critically and see beyond the fun and games that most use social media for.
In “What is Enlightenment?” by Immanuel Kant, Kant’s understanding of enlightenment is quite interesting. Kant states that no man is stupid, but lacks of courage to step out of their comfort zone. The courage to question things, and understand them yourself. I believe Kant’s argument is still valid today and I totally agree that “we do live in an age of enlightenment.” In contemporary society, I see Kant’s concepts of enlightenment apply to modern social issues. Let’s take social media as an example. The reliance on social media is a significant issue nowadays, the spread of misinformation on the internet travels quickly before correction is even made. Leading those “self-imposed immaturity” groups to blindly follow the trend due to their laziness as Kant mentions in the line “If I have a book to serve as my understanding, a pastor to serve as my conscience, a physician to determine my diet for me, and so on, I need not exert myself at all. I need not think, if only I can pay”. We are afraid to make changes
Kant emphasized individual autonomy and the public use of reason. When comes to issues of war and human rights. Kant states. A soldier must need to serve his order. However, when “as a scholar”, he should have the right to question the decision of the authority and have the public judge it. An individual must be free to think and question, these are essential rights for the enlightenment process.
As more people awake and pursue individual autonomy and reason. People will question their surroundings, and criticize what is wrong with their individual understanding. We can see this in our society today, in this democratic country. have the freedom of speech, and express our opinions. However, comparing modern society to Kant’s era. I find people nowadays are still trapped in the prison of simple thinking, unwilling to face their own thoughts and life with maturity, and instead, they simply hand over the way of their life or thoughts to others, simply because they are too lazy!
Hi Yunxiang, I agree with your analysis on Kant’s message towards today’s society. I like the example you used with the soldier, and how one’s occupation or service in life does not tie them down to believe every thought or act that (example:) other soldier may believe.
Reaching a level of maturity that allows one to follow their own special path without feeling the need to imitate or copy others is a necessity for true enlightenment. Kant’s message emphasizes the value of uniqueness and creativity, advising readers to follow their own intuition and ideas instead of simply copying or following the others.
Kant’s argument is still relevant in today’s world, since social media and other technological developments have made it easier for people to imitate others in an effort to gain attention or approval. The large number of platforms for exchanging ideas and lifestyles has increased the tendency for imitation, which could reduce the value of unique ideas and independent thought. In this sense, Kant’s advice is a relevant reminder of the importance of being genuine and independent when negotiating the challenges of modern society. Kant mentioned that people might not think independently because they are too lazy. In my opinion, the answer to this is to just stop being lazy and give your work careful thought so you can make your own ideas and thoughts.
It is clear that situations like war can benefit from Kant’s views on independence and maturity. People can approach disagreements thoughtfully and work toward peaceful outcomes if they are mature and aware of what is going on. It is clear that the pursuit of personal autonomy and reason has the power to completely change society. Imagine a society in which everyone is free to express their own opinions and views without fear of imitation from others. A more creative and imaginative society might come from this openness to exchange ideas. It is possible to build a society where variety is valued, creativity grows, and everyone feels encouraged to offer their special skills and ideas to improve the world by valuing individual autonomy and reason.
I agree that when people are more open it is possible to have a more creative and imaginative society. When society can foster and even value individual and unique ideas there can be more fresh ideas that could help us tackle real-world issues.
Kant’s essay concerning enlightenment has many valid arguments which can be connected to the contemporary society of today. He stands on the idea that enlightenment can only be achieved through freedom, and by freedom he means the free will of thought. He says, “If I have a book that had understanding for me, a pastor who has a conscience for me, a doctor who judges my diet for me, and so forth, surely I do not need to trouble myself. I have no need to think if I can pay; others will take over the tedious business for me.”(Kant, Pg. 58), through this quote we can understand Kant’s argument regarding freedom in relation to free will/thought better. In society, many people hold roles that are meant to guide others through life, rather than having them figure things out for themselves. As Kant mentioned himself, we have doctors, religious figures, and books to look to when we require guidance, rather than just seeking the answers from within ourselves. If Kant’s idealogy is that enlightenment can only be achieved through free will and thought, society as a whole holds us back from reaching that stage. To let yourself use your understanding, you have to let go of the worldy “help”, which is holding us back. Kant also says, “… if an officer should argue aloud about the suitability or utility of a command given to him by his superior; he must obey. But he can not fairly be forbidden as a scholar to make remarks on failings in the military service and to lay them before the public for judgment.”(Kant, Pg. 60). With this statement made by Kant, we can understand his idealogy in connection to the issues of war and human rights. Those directly under the order of war have no say in such matters as they are not the ones in the position to make decisions, in comparison to those who can voice their contradicting opinions against those in charge. The people fighting against unjust actions are usually the ones who are enlightened (based on Kant’s idea, of “free”). The sole idea is to break through the societal hierarchies made to keep people in place, to not only prevent autonomy but also revolution.
Immanuel Kant in his famous “What is Enlightenment” essay preaches for people to think independently and break free from common social standards and ways of thought. I believe that Kant’s argument is still valid today. Kant brings up examples that are comparable in today’s world. For example, Kant stated that a clergyman must teach the thoughts and beliefs of the church, but is not bound to these beliefs. The clergyman has the freedom to seek and honor other beliefs if he finds a contradiction with the church. From this example, I found it relatable to politics and media. I feel that in today’s world many politicians, news anchors, and journalists are subject to one agenda and must mask thoughts of the opposing side or argument. Kant’s “enlightenment” suggests that they are not subject to only those beliefs that are the popular opinions among their peers with similar vested interests.
Kant’s message is very strong and intellectual as it can guide even the people of today. Kant stated “One age cannot bind itself, and thus conspire, to place the succeeding age in a situation in which it becomes impossible for it to broaden its knowledge, to cleanse itself of errors, and generally to progress in enlightenment.” I interpret this quote today as the younger generation to not be influenced by past cultural beliefs. Whether the culture being their family, state, or country, people should have the freedom to follow their own beliefs, regardless of opposition. Today a lot of younger people are being pushed to think one way or another regarding politics and human rights and it is important for them to have the maturity to believe what they truly believe. I believe that Kant shares these thoughts when he states “Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why such a great part of mankind, long after nature has set them free from the guidance of others, still gladly remain immature for life and why it is so easy for others to set themselves up as guardians.” I feel that people have progressed and become more “enlightened” during my lifetime than those of past generations. This is due to the fact that we live in a much more accepting era where people can be more comfortable, although I believe the world as a whole still lacks Kant’s “enlightenment” in ways.
Reading your response made me think about how in countries where free speech is generally accepted and encouraged like the U.S and especially New York, it may not be the government that is silencing us but our fear of judgement of other people. If all the people around us freely speak the same opinion we may fear speaking out about that opinion even if we feel differently about it.
Kant ideas on enlightenment stills relevant today. We live in a society where people still feeling comfortable on following social norms without arguing them. This essay was written in an era where the church and the monarchy were the main authority, even though today those institutions don’t have the same power as before, technology has made the mases “immature”. I love technology and I am grateful for existing in this era, but with automatization, influencers, trends, politicians and all the information that we get from everywhere it is easy to be lazy and believe what others says, without questioning it, it is easy to follow the mases. We live in a society that move so fast, our brain get to many information daily and decisions have to be make quickly, and yes technology could be a great tool and help us to make this decision, but we fail to use it properly when we let others ideas guide us, without pausing and thinking if these ideas align with our values, or with who we are.
Kant mentioned that is a group of “guardians” that make us see maturity as something very dangerous or difficult, and yes be wiser or mature it could be hard, it could take time, experiences, and failures, but it is not impossible. I do believe that there is a group of people, very powerful that benefits from our laziness, lack of motivation and lack of time. It is hard for some people to rely of their own reasoning and believe easily what an authority says when all their live others have told them who they should be and what they should believe in. The way we were raised, the religion in which we were educated, the country where we are from, the political principles that have been imposed on us over the years, all these things add up to our immaturity. It is up to us to get out of our comfort zone and start questioning ourselves and our social morns. We should start question to ourselves things like how is possible that in today’s world war stills happening, why some groups still getting more benefits than other, why some people still classifying people by their sexual preference and race, etc. If all of us or maybe most of us make enlightenment our biggest goal of life, probably people in the future won’t have to deal with the same social dilemmas that we are dealing today. As we know the church and the monarchy are no longer the number one authority in society, and this thanks to people that came before us and made enlightenment the biggest goal of their life.
Hello Cindy!
I find it interesting that you mentioned that we live in a hyperconnected society where we can send and receive information in a matter of seconds. With so much information constantly bombarding our minds, it can be easy not to think critically about what we read or listen to. When we don’t analyze the ideas we encounter, we are basically letting others think for us. Their ideas become ours, and without realizing it, we begin to be controlled as easily as a shepherd controls sheep. As a society, we need to find the courage to think critically and make decisions based on our understanding.
Kant’s answer to “What is Enlightenment?” brings forth ideas that still resonate with today’s society. He claims we should all be searching for freedom from relying on others for information and using our knowledge to thrive. Today, misinformation can spread fast, and by doing our own research, we can know the truth and be independent thinkers. He uses the term self-incurred (p.58) to explain that people don’t get the right information and spread lies, and this could be harmful to society. Kant focuses on reasons related to social concerns such as equality and justice, urging people to examine biases and potentially unfair cultural standards. While respecting beliefs, Kant would encourage individuals to reflect on their faiths critically, aligning with the idea of faith being a personal journey, which is consistent with your own need for personal faith and meditation on scripture for direction. Something that could not be seen as equal today is the power of religion in our society. On pages 62-63, Kant states,” I have placed the main point of enlightenment – mankind’s exit from its self-imposed immaturity- primarily on religious matters since our rulers have no interest in playing the role of guardian to their subjects.” Back then, maybe the church was involved in legislation, and not at all now. Kant was saying here that because religion held power, they did not want people to start enlightenment and that there would be a “danger in allowing subjects to make public use of their reason” (pg.63). What I agreed with was that autonomy and reason result in greater personal and societal growth, but that they can also conflict with cultural traditions and legislation. With care, we can make sure that free thought does not violate the rights of others. Kant’s thoughts on enlightenment push us to find a new way to learn and understand things.
Hello Jeanice!
I find it valuable that you highlighted the term “self-incurred” used by Kant for those who choose to rely on others’ thinking instead of using their own understanding. I also find it interesting that you mentioned Kant’s idea of respecting others’ ideas while critically thinking about them, as once we stop respecting others, our opinions lose impact.
I feel that religion and legislation are still intertwined around the world today even if we don’t want it to be. For example, today I feel that the members of our more conservative supreme court judge with their own religious ideas in mind. Additionally in Afghanistan religious practices are enforced by government which people find controversial. Thus the importance of free thinking when interpreting religion is still important today.
Immanuel Kant, in his famous 1784 essay titled “What is Enlightenment?”, describes enlightenment as “mankind’s exit from its self-incurred immaturity”, and highlights the importance of developing and applying crucial skills in today’s world, this includes independent thinking and being able to make decisions based on our understanding. Although Kant’s essay was written several centuries ago, his core ideas are still relevant in today’s society. In our hyperconnected world, I would even argue that Kan’s principles are more necessary than ever.
In a hyperconnected world, where we can access other’s opinions and ideas easily and rapidly, especially in newspapers, television, social media, etc., it is highly dangerous to not be able to think independently, especially on sensitive topics such as religion and politics, but why? Not questioning the information or ideas we read or listen to, whether it is from a news station, a friend or family, or the government, can have unwanted consequences such as being more vulnerable to manipulation.
A society that lacks critical thinking can be manipulated more easily. For example, governments could spread misinformation, and if people do not dare to critically think about that information and challenge it, we would be opening a door that cannot be closed. In other words, we would be giving someone or something too much power to control us. The same idea can be applied to religions (I suppose they already have power), and friends and family through what we call “peer pressure”, which forces many to do what others consider “acceptable” just to be accepted by a group.
When people lack the skill to think critically, they are not just hurting themselves, but also others. Without the ability to think and make decisions based on our understanding, as a society, we are limiting our freedom and development.
Hi Darlin, I also spoke about the idea of manipulation being more easily used against those who don’t question the media around them. It’s a growing issue, the fact that more people are simply taking people’s words online and in the media at face value. As I’m a psychology major, I am being taught to question everything, even if it’s based on my own intuition or bias. If we listened to everything someone said, despite their level of authority in government, science, religion, etc., then our society would never progress, as Kant proposed. We need to take the time to do a little research, confirm ideas and information, and we would all be better off for it.
Immanuel Kant’s essay, “What is Enlightenment?” Was a real eye opener to people at the time, but also so relevant today and to our issues. Kant’s draws emphasize on how easy it is for mankind to follow others opinions and point of view “it is thus difficult for any individual man to work himself out of an immaturity that has become almost natural to him” (Kant 59). It is so simple for mankind to not make their own understanding of things and listen to how others interrupt and others way of thinking. Enlightenment begins with freedom; the ability to do and think for ourselves. Kant also talks about the fault in immaturity even further by using religion as an example. People use blind hope and belief as means of ruling when that is “the most harmful as well as the most dishonorable” (Kant 63). I believe his ideas are still valid today because of how easily influential our society can be. Social media takes up a big part in what people believe in and what they think is right because their favorite YouTuber said so.
Groups of people in our society are still being oppressed and we have had to start movements like Black Lives Matters to continue to put an end to this horrible belief of where black people belong in our society. Kant states “Yet we have clear indications that the field is now being opened for them to work freely toward this, and the obstacles to general enlightenment or to the exit out of their self-incurred immaturity become ever fewer” (62). Society is under reform and might even be going through its own enlightenment with how many new ideas and inventions. Finding your individuality in this society is what causes the reforms and enlightenment Kant is talking about.
I like how you talk about us still going through enlightenment because there’s so much more we can do in order to improve as a society. By people seeing the error in our ways, we can all become better people.
Kant’s ideas of enlightenment are relevant in our society today differently than they were in his time. In Kant’s time enlightenment could motivate citizens to defy the rules of royalty, monarchs and government. However in our society, Kant’s ideas can be applied to defy the government, and especially what the media wants us to believe. On page 58, paragraph 2, Kant writes “If I have a book that understands for me, a pastor who has a conscience for me, a doctor who judges my diet for me, and so forth, surely I do not need to trouble myself. I have no need to think, if only I can pay, others will take over the tedious business for me.”. Here Kant points out the easiness of having someone else’s or some agency’s authority over you. For example as a young student, I feel secure knowing that education provides a set path for me; I’d rather have my teachers and parents tell me what to do than figure out how to live my life completely by myself. However, by following the rules set out for you by society and those you deem know more than you, you lose your own originality of thought and freedom. Kant’s point of letting your pastor have a conscience for you is extremely relevant in our world today as our society deems rules set by religious texts to be unjust today. Personally, as someone coming from a religious family I come up with my own decisions on what I believe and what I disregard from my parent’s faith. By doing so I feel that I am practicing the Enlightenment idea of “the inclination and vocation of free thinking”. (Kant, pg 63)
Today, Kant’s ideas on enlightenment can be applied to how we consume media and news especially about conflict and war. It is impossible to write and publish anything completely without bias, and especially in the digital age where anyone can publish their opinions about anything, we must take everything we consume on the internet with a grain of salt. The media we see controls the public, every article is written with a purpose and agenda to sway the public’s opinions one way or another. This has been highlighted by the way news outlets word the monstrosities occurring in the Israel Palestine war today. Statements written and stated by government officials are also meticulously thought out with an agenda. Similar to Kant’s age of enlightenment, we must be aware of government bias, and biases in the media we consume. The best way to free- think and come up with our own opinions with the media we consume is by educating ourselves. On page 61 Kant writes “broadens its knowledge, cleanse itself of errors, and generally progress in enlightenment.”. Additionally he writes “ be let free, in their capacities as scholars, that is through writings, to make remarks on the failings of current institutions… through uniting their voices they could bring a resolution before the throne” Here, Kants emphasizes the importance of education and the free voices of scholars to make change in a corrupt system. This is relevant in today’s society and our consumption of media and media controlled by the government as we need to be able to educate ourselves about conflicts, understand all points of views, and call out injustice to make a change. Accepting all government actions and statements without investigating them will allow them to continue taking advantage of citizens.