Question

At the turn of the 18th Century, the world was moving away from a devotion to religious ethics toward a belief in moral, secular responsibility and reasoning. Kant explains this new period of Enlightenment as "man's release from his self-incurred tutelage" (D 105), and Diderot and D'Alembert describe the enlightened person as one who "dares to think for himself...trampling on prejudice, tradition, conventional wisdom, authority, in a word, all that enslaves most minds" (D 101).

Using these texts, come up with your own definition of Enlightenment as demonstrated by these authors. What is it, and why do you think the shift toward Enlightenment and secular reasoning was a difficult one for the religious readers of the 18th century?


Video search if needed: Kant & Categorical Imperatives: Crash Course Philosophy #35 or the book by: 4th edition of The Norton Anthology of World Literature, books D, E, F, by Martin Puchner.

Answer 1

Enlightenment, as demonstrated by Kant, Diderot, and D'Alembert, is a period in which individuals release themselves from self-incurred tutelage and dare to think for themselves, breaking free from the constraints of prejudice, tradition, and authority. It is a shift towards moral, secular reasoning and responsibility, away from religious ethics. The Enlightenment period is a period where individuals are encouraged to question and challenge the status quo, and establish their own beliefs and values.

The shift towards Enlightenment and secular reasoning was a difficult one for religious readers of the 18th century as it challenged their long-held beliefs and values. In the 18th century, religion was deeply ingrained in society and was often used as a means of enforcing social order and control. The emergence of Enlightenment ideas and secular reasoning threatened the authority of religious institutions and challenged traditional beliefs and values. Additionally, religious readers may have found it difficult to reconcile the idea of moral responsibility and reasoning without the guidance of religious doctrine and authority.

In summary, Enlightenment is a period in which individuals release themselves from self-incurred tutelage and dare to think for themselves, breaking free from the constraints of prejudice, tradition, and authority. The shift towards Enlightenment and secular reasoning was a difficult one for religious readers of the 18th century as it challenged their long-held beliefs and values, and threatened the authority of religious institutions.