Summary Of Enlightenment By Immanuel Kant
Caitlyn Monter
Geography 3701
Dr. Wainwright
21 October 2014
Kant’s Enlightenment What is Enlightenment was an essay written by Immanuel Kant in 1784. Its motto: Sapere aude! (Dare to know!). The Enlightenment concerns humanity gaining the courage to think and reason for themselves without the guidance of others. It encourages men to question authority and constantly voice their opinions. It also requires that men in private, appointed positions, make sure the public knows what is going on in their workplace. Kant considers that priests and clergymen are in private positions, and while they must obey at work, they need to voice their concerns about the church to the public. He seems the most concerned about religion in his essay, and it seems …show more content…
The priest, though a “symbol of the church when he serves” has the ability “to communicate to the public all his carefully tested and well-meaning thoughts on that which is erroneous in the symbol and to make suggestions for the better organization” (Kant 3-4). As stated above, this would be bracketing and unbracketing. However, Kant focuses greatly on his example of the church, more so than the police officer and the tax collector. Kant writes, “…would a society of clergymen…be justified in obligating itself by oath to a certain unchangeable symbol in order to enjoy an unceasing guardianship over each of its members and thereby over the people as a whole, and even to make it eternal?” (Kant 4). He answers this in the next sentence saying, “Such a contract, made to shut off all further enlightenment from the human race, is absolutely null and void”. However he argues that it is wrong for past generations to attempt to prevent further generations from progressing the Enlightenment (Kant 4). Kant seems to be apprehensive that a religious authority may try to “shut off” the progress of the Enlightenment through binding, political means. Since religion was so deeply embedded in most people at this time, it seemed to present the biggest challenge in overcoming tutelage. Religious leaders may be unwilling to give up their authority over the people, and the people themselves may also be unwilling to question the church for fear of committing sins. However, men should reason for themselves and refuse to adhere to a single set of beliefs, which may be a hindrance in the expansion of the
Geography 3701
Dr. Wainwright
21 October 2014
Kant’s Enlightenment What is Enlightenment was an essay written by Immanuel Kant in 1784. Its motto: Sapere aude! (Dare to know!). The Enlightenment concerns humanity gaining the courage to think and reason for themselves without the guidance of others. It encourages men to question authority and constantly voice their opinions. It also requires that men in private, appointed positions, make sure the public knows what is going on in their workplace. Kant considers that priests and clergymen are in private positions, and while they must obey at work, they need to voice their concerns about the church to the public. He seems the most concerned about religion in his essay, and it seems …show more content…
The priest, though a “symbol of the church when he serves” has the ability “to communicate to the public all his carefully tested and well-meaning thoughts on that which is erroneous in the symbol and to make suggestions for the better organization” (Kant 3-4). As stated above, this would be bracketing and unbracketing. However, Kant focuses greatly on his example of the church, more so than the police officer and the tax collector. Kant writes, “…would a society of clergymen…be justified in obligating itself by oath to a certain unchangeable symbol in order to enjoy an unceasing guardianship over each of its members and thereby over the people as a whole, and even to make it eternal?” (Kant 4). He answers this in the next sentence saying, “Such a contract, made to shut off all further enlightenment from the human race, is absolutely null and void”. However he argues that it is wrong for past generations to attempt to prevent further generations from progressing the Enlightenment (Kant 4). Kant seems to be apprehensive that a religious authority may try to “shut off” the progress of the Enlightenment through binding, political means. Since religion was so deeply embedded in most people at this time, it seemed to present the biggest challenge in overcoming tutelage. Religious leaders may be unwilling to give up their authority over the people, and the people themselves may also be unwilling to question the church for fear of committing sins. However, men should reason for themselves and refuse to adhere to a single set of beliefs, which may be a hindrance in the expansion of the