Kant’s Understanding of Enlightenment

In this essay, I am going to discuss Kant's ideas of Enlightenment. With reference to his famous essay, “What is Enlightenment?” I am going to analyze how he interprets his time, and also the very idea that we define as the age of enlightenment. I will add my opinion to his idea.

According to Kant, enlightenment arises from man's own imposition of immaturity. The inability that uses one’s reason without another’s guidance is immaturity. It is not that hard to be immature. If I have people which assume full responsibility of my own life rather than me, it will be an obstacle for my daily life because I will not use my own reason for my responsibilities for example “If I have 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.” I will not be able to use my own reason in the long run if I use it for others.

In my opinion, the term “sapere aude!” means, that if we have no courage for using our own reason it is just a tutelage. In addition, we are people with our reason if we use it without direction from another it is not worth it. I think we have the freedom that we can use our reason without refraining from nobody if we cannot there will be no enlightenment. I understand that Kant noticed the immaturity in those days which he lives, with this awareness he created the motto “sapere aude!” for preventing to be immature and finding out the solution for the enlightenment.

Actually, private and public are not fully opposite as public and private life. Private use of reason is that we have to work uncomplainingly in order not to disturb the social order. Public use of reason is that we are free to say our ideas clearly in public. The possible change will come with this. In private use of reason, these steps are followed: Obey, obligation, and action. On the other hand, public use of reason’s steps is: Think freely, duty and thoughts/words/writing.

I think we are not living in the age of enlightenment. I support Kant’s idea about living or not living in the age of enlightenment. He said that “We are not living in the enlightenment age but we do live in an age of enlightenment.” Since the day he said that we have been immature. Without someone else’s guidance we cannot use our own reason freely, and determine independently what should we do because we always receive orders from another or we think of others instead of ourselves. These are some of the obstacles on the road to universal enlightenment that need to be overcome because this is our fault. If we want to be capable of managing freedom, we should encourage people to use their reason freely. If such a path is followed, it can be thought that we really live in the enlightenment age.

In conclusion, Immanuel Kant’s idea is analyzed and his ideas are matched up with my own ideas. With the reference of his essay named “What is Enlightenment?” I can say that enlightenment is impossible as long as we think instead of others and he wants the public to think freely, to be fair, and to treat in accordance with their honor.