WhatIsEnlightenment?

ImmanuelKant1

Enlightenmentisman'semergencefromhisselfimposednonage.Nonageisthe
inabilitytouseone'sownunderstandingwithoutanother'sguidance.Thisnonage
isselfimposedifitscauseliesnotinlackofunderstandingbutinindecisionandlack
ofcouragetouseone'sownmindwithoutanother'sguidance.Daretoknow!(Sapere
aude.)"Havethecouragetouseyourownunderstanding,"isthereforethemottoof
theenlightenment.
Lazinessandcowardicearethereasonswhysuchalargepartofmankindgladly
remainminorsalltheirlives,longafternaturehasfreedthemfromexternalguidance.
Theyarethereasonswhyitissoeasyforotherstosetthemselvesupasguardians.It
issocomfortabletobeaminor.IfIhaveabookthatthinksforme,apastorwho
actsasmyconscience,aphysicianwhoprescribesmydiet,andsoonthenIhaveno
needtoexertmyself.Ihavenoneedtothink,ifonlyIcanpay;otherswilltakecare
ofthatdisagreeablebusinessforme.Thoseguardianswhohavekindlytaken
supervisionuponthemselvesseetoitthattheoverwhelmingmajorityofmankind
amongthemtheentirefairsexshouldconsiderthesteptomaturity,notonlyashard,
butasextremelydangerous.First,theseguardiansmaketheirdomesticcattle
stupidandcarefullypreventthedocilecreaturesfromtakingasinglestepwithoutthe
leadingstringstowhichtheyhavefastenedthem.Thentheyshowthemthedanger
thatwouldthreatenthemiftheyshouldtrytowalkbythemselves.Nowthisdangeris
reallynotverygreat;afterstumblingafewtimestheywould,atlast,learntowalk.
However,examplesofsuchfailuresintimidateandgenerallydiscourageallfurther
attempts.
Thusitisverydifficultfortheindividualtoworkhimselfoutofthenonagewhichhas
becomealmostsecondnaturetohim.Hehasevengrowntolikeit,andisatfirst
reallyincapableofusinghisownunderstandingbecausehehasneverbeenpermitted
totryit.Dogmasandformulas,thesemechanicaltoolsdesignedforreasonableuse
orratherabuseofhisnaturalgifts,arethefettersofaneverlastingnonage.Theman
whocaststhemoffwouldmakeanuncertainleapoverthenarrowestditch,becausehe
isnotusedtosuchfreemovement.Thatiswhythereareonlyafewmenwhowalk
firmly,andwhohaveemergedfromnonagebycultivatingtheirownminds.
Itismorenearlypossible,however,forthepublictoenlightenitself;indeed,ifitis
onlygivenfreedom,enlightenmentisalmostinevitable.Therewillalwaysbeafew

independentthinkers,evenamongtheselfappointedguardiansofthemultitude.Once
suchmenhavethrownofftheyokeofnonage,theywillspreadaboutthemthespirit
ofareasonableappreciationofman'svalueandofhisdutytothinkforhimself.Itis
especiallytobenotedthatthepublicwhichwasearlierbroughtundertheyokeby
thesemenafterwardsforcestheseveryguardianstoremaininsubmission,ifitisso
incitedbysomeofitsguardianswhoarethemselvesincapableofanyenlightenment.
Thatshowshowperniciousitistoimplantprejudices:theywilleventuallyrevenge
themselvesupontheirauthorsortheirauthors'descendants.Therefore,apublic
canachieveenlightenmentonlyslowly.Arevolutionmaybringabouttheendofa
personaldespotismorofavaricioustyrannicaloppression,butneveratruereform
ofmodesofthought.Newprejudiceswillserve,inplaceoftheold,asguidelinesfor
theunthinkingmultitude.
Thisenlightenmentrequiresnothingbutfreedomandthemostinnocentofallthat
maybecalled"freedom":freedomtomakepublicuseofone'sreasoninall
matters.NowIhearthecryfromallsides:"Donotargue!"Theofficersays:"Donot
arguedrill!"Thetaxcollector:"Donotarguepay!"Thepastor:"Donotargue
believe!"Onlyonerulerintheworldsays:"Argueasmuchasyouplease,butobey!"
Wefindrestrictionsonfreedomeverywhere.Butwhichrestrictionisharmfulto
enlightenment?Whichrestrictionisinnocent,andwhichadvancesenlightenment?I
reply:thepublicuseofone'sreasonmustbefreeatalltimes,andthisalonecan
bringenlightenmenttomankind.
Ontheotherhand,theprivateuseofreasonmayfrequentlybenarrowlyrestricted
withoutespeciallyhinderingtheprogressofenlightenment.By"publicuseofone's
reason"Imeanthatusewhichaman,asscholar,makesofitbeforethereading
public.Icall"privateuse"thatusewhichamanmakesofhisreasoninacivicpost
thathasbeenentrustedtohim.Insomeaffairsaffectingtheinterestofthecommunity
acertain[governmental]mechanismisnecessaryinwhichsomemembersofthe
communityremainpassive.Thiscreatesanartificialunanimitywhichwillserve
thefulfillmentofpublicobjectives,oratleastkeeptheseobjectivesfrombeing
destroyed.Herearguingisnotpermitted:onemustobey.Insofarasapartofthis
machineconsidershimselfatthesametimeamemberofauniversalcommunitya
worldsocietyofcitizens(letussaythathethinksofhimselfasascholarrationally
addressinghispublicthroughhiswritings)hemayindeedargue,andtheaffairswith
whichheisassociatedinpartasapassivememberwillnotsuffer.Thusitwouldbe
veryunfortunateifanofficerondutyandunderordersfromhissuperiorsshouldwant
tocriticizetheappropriatenessorutilityofhisorders.Hemustobey.Butasascholar
hecouldnotrightfullybepreventedfromtakingnoticeofthemistakesinthe
militaryserviceandfromsubmittinghisviewstohispublicforitsjudgment.The

citizencannotrefusetopaythetaxeslevieduponhim;indeed,impertinentcensureof
suchtaxescouldbepunishedasascandalthatmightcausegeneraldisobedience.
Nevertheless,thismandoesnotviolatethedutiesofacitizenif,asascholar,he
publiclyexpresseshisobjectionstotheimproprietyorpossibleinjusticeofsuch
levies.Apastor,too,isboundtopreachtohiscongregationinaccordwiththe
doctrinesofthechurchwhichheserves,forhewasordainedonthatcondition.Butas
ascholarhehasfullfreedom,indeedtheobligation,tocommunicatetohispublic
allhiscarefullyexaminedandconstructivethoughtsconcerningerrorsinthat
doctrineandhisproposalsconcerningimprovementofreligiousdogmaand
churchinstitutions.Thisisnothingthatcouldburdenhisconscience.Forwhathe
teachesinpursuanceofhisofficeasrepresentativeofthechurch,herepresentsas
somethingwhichheisnotfreetoteachasheseesit.Hespeaksasonewhois
employedtospeakinthenameandundertheordersofanother.Hewillsay:"Our
churchteachesthisorthat;thesearetheproofswhichitemploys."Thushewill
benefithiscongregationasmuchaspossiblebypresentingdoctrinestowhichhemay
notsubscribewithfullconviction.Hecancommithimselftoteachthembecauseitis
notcompletelyimpossiblethattheymaycontainhiddentruth.Inanyevent,hehas
foundnothinginthedoctrinesthatcontradictstheheartofreligion.Forifhebelieved
thatsuchcontradictionsexistedhewouldnotbeabletoadministerhisofficewitha
clearconscience.Hewouldhavetoresignit.Thereforetheusewhichascholarmakes
ofhisreasonbeforethecongregationthatemployshimisonlyaprivateuse,forno
matterhowsizable,thisisonlyadomesticaudience.Inviewofthishe,aspreacher,is
notfreeandoughtnottobefree,sinceheiscarryingouttheordersofothers.On
theotherhand,asthescholarwhospeakstohisownpublic(theworld)throughhis
writings,theministerinthepublicuseofhisreasonenjoysunlimitedfreedomtouse
hisownreasonandtospeakforhimself.Thatthespiritualguardiansofthepeople
shouldthemselvesbetreatedasminorsisanabsurditywhichwouldresultin
perpetuatingabsurdities.
Butshouldasocietyofministers,sayaChurchCouncil,...havetherighttocommit
itselfbyoathtoacertainunalterabledoctrine,inordertosecureperpetual
guardianshipoverallitsmembersandthroughthemoverthepeople?Isaythatthisis
quiteimpossible.Suchacontract,concludedtokeepallfurtherenlightenmentfrom
humanity,issimplynullandvoidevenifitshouldbeconfirmedbythesovereign
power,byparliaments,andthemostsolemntreaties.Anepochcannotconcludeapact
thatwillcommitsucceedingages,preventthemfromincreasingtheirsignificant
insights,purgingthemselvesoferrors,andgenerallyprogressinginenlightenment.
Thatwouldbeacrimeagainsthumannaturewhoseproperdestinyliespreciselyin
suchprogress.Therefore,succeedingagesarefullyentitledtorepudiatesuch

decisionsasunauthorizedandoutrageous.Thetouchstoneofallthosedecisions
thatmaybemadeintolawforapeopleliesinthisquestion:Couldapeopleimpose
suchalawuponitself?Nowitmightbepossibletointroduceacertainorderfora
definiteshortperiodoftimeinexpectationofbetterorder.But,whilethisprovisional
ordercontinues,eachcitizen(aboveall,eachpastoractingasascholar)shouldbeleft
freetopublishhiscriticismsofthefaultsofexistinginstitutions.Thisshouldcontinue
untilpublicunderstandingofthesemattershasgonesofarthat,byunitingthevoices
ofmany(althoughnotnecessarilyall)scholars,reformproposalscouldbebrought
beforethesovereigntoprotectthosecongregationswhichhaddecidedaccordingto
theirbestlightsuponanalteredreligiousorder,without,however,hinderingthose
whowanttoremaintruetotheoldinstitutions.Buttoagreetoaperpetualreligious
constitutionwhichisnotpubliclyquestionedbyanyonewouldbe,asitwere,to
annihilateaperiodoftimeintheprogressofman'simprovement.Thismustbe
absolutelyforbidden.
Amanmaypostponehisownenlightenment,butonlyforalimitedperiodoftime.
Andtogiveupenlightenmentaltogether,eitherforoneselforone'sdescendants,isto
violateandtotrampleuponthesacredrightsofman.Whatapeoplemaynotdecide
foritselfmayevenlessbedecidedforitbyamonarch,forhisreputationasaruler
consistspreciselyinthewayinwhichheunitesthewillofthewholepeoplewithinhis
own.Ifheonlyseestoitthatalltrueorsupposed[religious]improvementremainsin
stepwiththecivicorder,hecanfortherestleavehissubjectsalonetodowhatthey
findnecessaryforthesalvationoftheirsouls.Salvationisnoneofhisbusiness;
itishisbusinesstopreventonemanfromforciblykeepinganotherfrom
determiningandpromotinghissalvationtothebestofhisability.Indeed,itwould
beprejudicialtohismajestyifhemeddledinthesemattersandsupervisedthe
writingsinwhichhissubjectsseektobringtheir[religious]viewsintotheopen,even
whenhedoesthisfromhisownhighestinsight,becausethenheexposeshimselfto
thereproach:Caesarnonestsupragrammaticos.2Itisworsewhenhedebaseshis
sovereignpowersofarastosupportthespiritualdespotismofafewtyrantsinhis
stateovertherestofhissubjects.
Whenweask,Arewenowlivinginanenlightenedage?theansweris,No,butwe
liveinanageofenlightenment.Asmattersnowstanditisstillfarfromtruethat
menarealreadycapableofusingtheirownreasoninreligiousmatters
confidentlyandcorrectlywithoutexternalguidance.Still,wehavesomeobvious
indicationsthatthefieldofworkingtowardthegoal[ofreligioustruth]isnow
opened.Whatismore,thehindrancesagainstgeneralenlightenmentortheemergence
fromselfimposednonagearegraduallydiminishing.Inthisrespectthisistheageof
theenlightenmentandthecenturyofFrederick[theGreat].

Aprinceoughtnottodeemitbeneathhisdignitytostatethatheconsidersithisduty
nottodictateanythingtohissubjectsinreligiousmatters,buttoleavethem
completefreedom.Ifherepudiatesthearrogantword"tolerant",heishimself
enlightened;hedeservestobepraisedbyagratefulworldandposterityasthatman
whowasthefirsttoliberatemankindfromdependence,atleastonthe
government,andleteverybodyusehisownreasoninmattersofconscience.
Underhisreign,honorablepastors,actingasscholarsandregardlessofthedutiesof
theiroffice,canfreelyandopenlypublishtheirideastotheworldforinspection,
althoughtheydeviatehereandtherefromaccepteddoctrine.Thisisevenmore
trueofeverypersonnotrestrainedbyanyoathofoffice.Thisspiritoffreedomis
spreadingbeyondtheboundaries[ofPrussia]evenwhereithastostruggleagainstthe
externalhindrancesestablishedbyagovernmentthatfailstograspitstrueinterest.
[Frederick'sPrussia]isashiningexamplethatfreedomneednotcausetheleastworry
concerningpublicorderortheunityofthecommunity.Whenonedoesnot
deliberatelyattempttokeepmeninbarbarism,theywillgraduallyworkoutofthat
conditionbythemselves.
Ihaveemphasizedthemainpointoftheenlightenmentman'semergencefromhis
selfimposednonageprimarilyinreligiousmatters,becauseourrulershaveno
interestinplayingtheguardiantotheirsubjectsintheartsandsciences.Aboveall,
nonageinreligionisnotonlythemostharmfulbutthemostdishonorable.Butthe
dispositionofasovereignrulerwhofavorsfreedomintheartsandsciencesgoeseven
further:heknowsthatthereisnodangerinpermittinghissubjectstomakepublicuse
oftheirreasonandtopublishtheirideasconcerningabetterconstitution,aswellas
candidcriticismofexistingbasiclaws.Wealreadyhaveastrikingexample[ofsuch
freedom],andnomonarchcanmatchtheonewhomwevenerate.
Butonlythemanwhoishimselfenlightened,whoisnotafraidofshadows,andwho
commandsatthesametimeawelldisciplinedandnumerousarmyasguarantorof
publicpeaceonlyhecansaywhat[thesovereignof]afreestatecannotdaretosay:
"Argueasmuchasyoulike,andaboutwhatyoulike,butobey!"Thusweobserve
hereaselsewhereinhumanaffairs,inwhichalmosteverythingisparadoxical,a
surprisingandunexpectedcourseofevents:alargedegreeofcivicfreedomappears
tobeofadvantagetotheintellectualfreedomofthepeople,yetatthesametimeit
establishesinsurmountablebarriers.Alesserdegreeofcivicfreedom,however,
createsroomtoletthatfreespiritexpandtothelimitsofitscapacity.Nature,then,
hascarefullycultivatedtheseedwithinthehardcorenamelytheurgeforandthe
vocationoffreethought.Andthisfreethoughtgraduallyreactsbackonthemodesof
thoughtofthepeople,andmenbecomemoreandmorecapableofactinginfreedom.

Atlastfreethoughtactsevenonthefundamentalsofgovernmentandthestatefindsit
agreeabletotreatman,whoisnowmorethanamachine,inaccordwithhisdignity.
Notes
1.TranslatedbyMaryC.Smith.
2.[Caesarisnotabovegrammarians.]