1784Reputable sourceWell documented
Kant and 'What Is Enlightenment?'
On the timeline · around 1784 ·
What happened
The German philosopher Immanuel Kant, one of the most influential thinkers in history, answered the question 'What is Enlightenment?' with a motto: Sapere aude — 'Dare to know.' Enlightenment, he wrote, is humanity's emergence from its self-imposed immaturity, the courage to use one's own reason without guidance from another.
Why it matters
Kant gave the Enlightenment its definitive statement and revolutionized philosophy itself. His call to think for oneself captures the movement's enduring challenge to every generation.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Immanuel Kant · Reputable source