What is enlightenment by Kant - Book Report/Review Example

What is Enlightenment? Kant argued that enlightenment in a man pertains to a when the latter has overcome or emerged above his immature self whereby it is claimed that beyond man’s immaturity, there exists sufficient capacity to understand in the absence of external guiding principle. In this proposition, the immaturity of an individual is considered to be imposed upon oneself and an immature person ought to be relieved of anxiety in seeking the ability to discern. On this ground, humans are summoned to initiate with a certain level of responsibility by acknowledging the significance of courage in order to be willing to acquire pertinent means to understand.

Otherwise, Kant further stressed that, people who think themselves capable find it rather of an advantage to their ends to obtain guardianship for those who become weakened either by cowardice or indolence. This, if well-managed apart from any trace of corruption or bribery, can serve to put the immature ones on a learning situation where they can start to gain insights which would in turn drive them to exertion. Guardianship or assuming a role with a sense of significant accountability for a portion of incapable multitude occurs to be a serious deed of necessary guidance toward enlightenment, at least the initial step in launching a mature realization.

On exercising such potentials, obstacles and frustration are inevitable but a guardian must not cease from anticipating good and poor results alike since the majority of common public who are slaves to idleness have, by frequency of being, been accustomed to remain as they are. Bringing them to the level of maturity entails breaking away from a lifelong habit, hence, enlightenment would be gradual in teaching and learning process that extends to the willful duty to look after the manner by which a thinking is reformed from inaction to the stage filled with sensibility and dynamic rationalization.

In its relevance the modern world and current affairs may dwell, in as much as passionately aiming to grow out of the traditional approach of the state in handling politics in relation to the economy. US officials could only move the public to cooperate with the aspect of economic crisis for instance, if they themselves start a-fresh and enlighten the nation with the meaning of responsibility by showing values that align with behavior and not just mere words of intelligence. Enlightenment comes with the wisdom to ascertain which set of reasons is mature enough to be helped at improving one’s well-being upon which the government can act by exposing a dumb nation to several areas of knowledge and non-academic programs that naturally foster a mentally stimulating atmosphere.

Once the unknowing citizens begin to recognize both their worth and unique abilities along the way, this marks the first stage of enlightenment that, little by little, proceeds in yielding the desired maturity to deal satisfactorily with personal growth and development. Reference Kant, Immanuel. “An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? (1784).” http://www.english.upenn.edu/~mgamer/Etexts/kant.html (accessed February 9, 2011).