Free Essay Sample on Enlightenment: Man's Emergence From Self-Imposed Nonage

Introduction

Enlightenment refers to man’s emergence from his self-imposed nonage or immaturity. According to Kant, nonage entails a person’s inability to use their understanding without relying on another individual’s guidance. Nonage is self-incurred is founded on one’s indecision or the lack of courage to use their minds without another person’s guidance. The nonage is not considered self-inflicted if its basis lies in one’s lack of understanding. As such, enlightenment entails having courage in the use of an individual’s reasoning, which implies daring to know.

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Kant

According to Kant, being immature involves a man’s inability to make use of his understanding without guidance from another. Immaturity is self-inflicted when it comes to one’s lack of resolution and courage to use their understanding without direction from another person. Conversely, immaturity is not self-incurred when its primary cause is a lack of reason. Kant outlines the shackles of immaturity as formulas and rules that act as mechanical aids to the misuse or rational use of man’s gifts. Man must endeavor to cultivate his mind to pursue a secure course and free himself from immaturity.

There lies a considerable contrast between being immature and being enlightened. Immaturity implies that an individual is unable to use their understanding and therefore relies on others for guidance. Such a person is held by dogmas and formulas, which leads to the misuse of their inherent gifts. Conversely, an enlightened person is one who has emerged from their self-incurred immaturity. Such people dare to use their understanding and make resolutions without relying on direction from others.

Intellectual Immaturity

Intellectual immaturity does not signify a lack of intelligence but instead shows the lack of courage and freedom to express one’s intelligence. According to Kant, being immature entails a person’s inability to use their intellect without directions from another. Such people have intelligence but lack the courage or are held back by the shackles of immaturity, such as laws that dictate their resolutions. Although one could be intelligent, they lack intellectual autonomy or independence and therefore remain tied in immaturity.

According to Kant, the intellectual problem of being cowardice is that it makes one comfortable in being a minor and overly relying on external guidance. It makes it for some people to become guardians hence leaving the minor without any need to exert or think for themselves since there is someone else to take responsibility. Such a setting makes it both dangerous and hard to step to maturity. Also, the lazy person is pushed to remain dependent since they are intimidated by the resultant consequences should they choose to make their resolutions without direction.

Independent Thinking

For a person to become enlightened, they must first throw off the yolk of immaturity to become independent thinkers. An individual would have to cast off the rules and dogmas set for reasonable use of man’s natural gifts. Although such a step could be coupled with uncertainties, it takes one to a scenario of free movement where an individual can rely on their understanding and reasoning to make decisions. As such, the process of enlightenment solely requires the freedom to make public use of one’s reason in different matters.

Conclusion

Religion is such an issue as it leads to immaturity. The ministers teach specific proofs that it adduces despite knowing the truths hidden beneath them. The guardians teach concepts that go against their inner religion and is therefore not free but instead carries the orders of another party. Religion limits the subjects’ ability to make public us of their reason as they have to follow what their doctrines state. As such, religion is a root of immaturity by being a source of direction for its adherents and limiting their ability to use their understanding in making decisions.