Question

What is Kant's purpose in writing "What is Enlightenment?" What does this term mean?

Answer 1

Kant wrote his essay titled "What is Enlightenment" because he wanted to answer Reverend Johann Friedrich Zöllner's question who wanted to know what really Enlightenment was. Many scholars tried to answer his question, but Kant's reply is the most famous example. 

The term Enlightenment refers to reason most of all - people realized that religion didn't take them anywhere which is why they started thinking about humanity more, science, art, literature, rather than religion. They started valuing reason over emotions. According to Kant, Enlightenment is 'man's emergence from his self-incurred immaturity.'

Answer 2

Answer:

Kant wrote his essay titled "What is Enlightenment" because he wanted to answer Reverend Johann Friedrich Zöllner's question who wanted to know what really Enlightenment was. Many scholars tried to answer his question, but Kant's reply is the most famous example. The term Enlightenment refers to reason most of all - people realized that religion didn't take them anywhere which is why they started thinking more about obtaining more knowledge about things as an individual, rather than religion. They started valuing reason over emotions and the opinions of those in power. According to Kant, Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-incurred immaturity. Enlightenment caused more people to seek knowledge and created a product of people you would can Renaissance men. Renaissance men are individuals who have acquired  multiple areas of knowledge, and in the case of Enlightenment it encouraged the individual to become a renaissance man. This is where you could say we obtained a good amount of philosophers.

These philosophers began to then form their own theories and pose their own questions of knowledge and debate them amongst each other, like Locke and Descartes debating wether ideas are innate or not. Philosophers also were bold in producing their own works for the public eye that challenged the social standing within their societies. Johnathan Swift's “Modest Proposal” spoke to the issues of social, political, and religious standings. The satirical piece proposing that they eat and sell their infant children to solve their problem, which is obviously a dramatically exaggerated “solution”. It is meant to convey his thoughts on how those in powers are pushing the people to extremes.

Explanation: