1 / 7

Kant, What Is Enlightenment ? (1784)

Kant, What Is Enlightenment ? (1784). A running commentary by Friedel Weinert. Kant, Enlightenment. Kant’s Definition Enlightenment = emergence from self-inflicted immaturity. Immaturity = inability to use one’s own reason, without external guidance.

nami
Télécharger la présentation

Kant, What Is Enlightenment ? (1784)

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Kant, What Is Enlightenment? (1784) A running commentary by Friedel Weinert FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

  2. Kant, Enlightenment Kant’s Definition Enlightenment = emergence from self-inflicted immaturity. Immaturity = inability to use one’s own reason, without external guidance. Self-inflicted immaturity often due to laziness and cowardice of individuals. Motto for the lazy: Sapere Aude! Kant proposes a Categorical Imperative of Thinking: Examine yourself whether any particular idea, reason and rule can be generalised. This should free us from prejudices and superstitions. • This is only the first aspect: Self-emancipation FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

  3. Kant, Enlightenment • There is a second aspect: Political/social emancipation Sometimes immaturity is due to shackles imposed by society: lack of political freedom [dictatorship], social and intellectual inhibitions [religious tyranny/ideologies] Freedom to use one’s reason, not political revolution, allows an entire public to enlighten itself. • Private use of reason is restricted • in professional functions • disobedience would destroy order • does not hinder public enlightenment • Public use of reason must be free • in learning • in reading public • helps enlightenment FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

  4. Kant, Enlightenment • There is a third aspect: Cultural Emancipation Enlightenment is not a one-off, unique effort The emergence from immaturity is a historical process: a) on personal level: sapere aude b) on society level: education and culture progress The obstruction of - political and cultural -progress would be against humannature. Test for laws and decrees which can be imposed on a people: would a people impose such a law/decree upon itself? FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

  5. Kant, Enlightenment • From Generation to Generation • It is impermissible to agree, even for a single lifetime, to a permanent religious constitution which no-one might publicly question. • Renouncing enlightenment - shaking off of ignorance, increase in empirical knowledge - either for one’s own person or for later generations would be a violation of the sacred rights of mankind. Perfectibility FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

  6. Kant, Enlightenment • From Monarch to People • a monarch has no rightto impose a halt in the enlightenment process on his people • the monarch’s legislative authority rests on the will of the people • rejection of censorship • Does Kant live in an enlightened Age? • No, but in an age of Enlightenment • Towards religious freedom and tolerance FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

  7. Kant, Enlightenment • Focal Points of the Enlightenment • Religious Matters • Legislation • The old tension between public and private use of reason FWeinert, Bradford University, UK

More Related