Absolutism And The Enlightenment

In the eighteenth century, much of Europe was engulfed in intellectual and cultural movement known as the Enlightenment. Reformers, which included: writers, political reformers and philosophers, led the fight against dogma, and old tradition. Up to this point time, questioning authority was uncommon, people were not willing to risk being tortured or put into jail. Many of the philosophers that express Enlightenment ideas of: freethinking, reason, tolerance, education, risked themselves being killed. At the same time, noble rights and blood were still representative of superiority; the nobles enjoyed the highest of life styles and were constantly surrounded by wealth and beauty. To many, especially the working class, this way of life seemed
Kant stats” 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 my self”(203). Kant believes that some have let themselves become minors because they do not know how to think for themselves; they reply on the guidance of other because it’s easier than living for one’s self. Kant wants to get rid of this way of thinking, he wants to create a new narrative that that promote self thinking and knowledge rather than lack their of. Similar to many philosophers during the enlightenment, Kate is a revolutionist. These for the most part are new radical ideas and consequentially controversy usually follows new ideas. The kings and dukes of the past would not allow for this type of thinking or any thinking as a matter of fact. They set to control their people, and repress any new thinking that they considered to be troublesome because it’s sought against their ideas. The general public feared to reason or question any thing because these were uncharted waters. Finally as we approach the 17th century, radical philosophers begin creating a new narrative that threatens the power of monarchies, and nobility. The nobles and kings whom posses all the power did not appreciate philosophers such as Kant. Kant would speak against the power that nobles and kings had over the working people. Kant’s third example further illustrates the point. The third example of nonage primarily deals with the select few, who were smarter, put them selves on top by depriving the general public of knowledge and education. Kant describes these people as “ guardians who make their domestic cattle stupid and carefully prevent the docile creature from taking a single step without the leading stings to which they have