What is Enlightenment?

E54472

"What is Enlightenment?" is a seminal 1784 essay by Immanuel Kant that defines enlightenment as humanity’s emergence from self-imposed immaturity through the courageous use of reason.

All labels observed (3)

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Statements (43)

Predicate Object
instanceOf philosophical essay
work by Immanuel Kant
addresses relationship between reason and authority
role of the individual in social progress
advocates freedom for the public use of reason
arguesThat immaturity is self-imposed when it does not result from lack of understanding but from lack of resolve and courage
associatedWith concept of progress through reason
emancipation from tutelage
author Immanuel Kant
centralThesis enlightenment requires freedom to make public use of reason in all matters
countryOfOrigin Prussia
surface form: Kingdom of Prussia
criticizes paternalistic authority over citizens’ thinking
definesEnlightenmentAs humanity’s emergence from self-imposed immaturity
distinguishesBetween public use of reason and private use of reason
emphasizes courageous use of one’s own understanding
famousMotto Sapere aude
genre philosophical essay
historicalContext late 18th-century Prussia
influenced critical theory
later debates on modernity
political philosophy of autonomy
keyConcept freedom of thought
private use of reason
public use of reason
sapere aude
self-imposed immaturity
language German
mainTopic Enlightenment philosophy
surface form: enlightenment (philosophy)

intellectual autonomy
use of reason
mottoTranslation Dare to know
notableQuote What is Enlightenment? self-linksurface differs
surface form: Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity.

Have courage to use your own understanding!
originalPublicationType journal article
originalTitle What is Enlightenment? self-linksurface differs
surface form: Beantwortung der Frage: Was ist Aufklärung?
philosophicalDiscipline moral philosophy
philosophy of history
political philosophy
philosophicalMovement Age of Enlightenment
surface form: Enlightenment
privateUseOfReasonDefinedAs use of reason within a civil post or office
publicationYear 1784
publicUseOfReasonDefinedAs use of reason as a scholar addressing the reading public
subjectOf extensive scholarly commentary

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Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

German Enlightenment hasKeyWork What is Enlightenment?
What is Enlightenment? originalTitle What is Enlightenment? self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Beantwortung der Frage: Was ist Aufklärung?
What is Enlightenment? notableQuote What is Enlightenment? self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Enlightenment is man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity.