Introduction
Immanuel Kant is one of the most influential philosophers whose works continue to serve as the foundation for many modern developments in this field of study. His take on morality and the fundamental ideas on humans’ understanding of self play a critical role in defining core political and social aspects of civilization. In this essay, Kant’s self-incurred minority and enlightenment will be discussed and proposed as a foundation for morality.
Immanuel Kant’s Ideas
A self-incurred minority is a vulnerable and undesirable state of mind described by Kant. It is characterized by a complete lack of desire to seek knowledge without being supervised (Kant 17). The death of independent thought follows the complete loss of freedom. According to Kant, thinking of leaders as guardians who have to guide others and prevent them from “daring to take a single step” without strict directions is the premise for the end of humanity (17). Morality plays a critical role in this discussion since it is tied to one’s ability to judge.
Enlightenment is a critical goal for humankind to achieve in order to prevail as a civilization. In Kant’s essay, enlightenment is the opposite of apathy, inaction, and indecisiveness (Kant 17). At the same time, the author acknowledges that many forces continuously seek to prevent people from becoming independent thinkers due to the inevitable loss of control over the minds of the masses (Kant 19). The desire to control may stem from good intentions, yet it is never a positive behavior in a society built on personal freedoms and public duties. Kant argues that such an approach would be “a crime against human nature” (20). Morality can be taught to people who lack the potential for self-motivation. However, genuinely moral acts come from an understanding of the core reason behind the necessity to act morally right, which is impossible to achieve without enlightenment.
From this letter, it appears that it was Kant’s intention to link morality and enlightenment as inseparable concepts. Only an enlightened individual is truly capable of being judged and judging the morality of others and the self. When a reason for a moral act comes from an outside influence, the morality of such an event lies on the mentor. It is worth noting that Kant calls people who lack independency “domesticated animals” and “creatures” instead of humans (17). While actions are always judged by their intentions, these minorities possess only a copy of their mentors’ morals. An individual who actively seeks knowledge is on the path toward enlightenment, as Kant described. This exact path allows one to find meaning in morally right or wrong actions. Without this desire to understand the world around them, a person is incapable of thoroughly thought-out judgments or conclusions. A sense of duty is a characteristic of an enlightened person whose freedoms allow them to act either within or outside of the boundaries of publicly acceptable morals. At the same time, this responsibility comes with the burden of being eligible to be judged.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Immanuel Kant’s views on enlightenment have a close tie with a person’s morality through critical thinking capabilities that lie at the core of knowledge-seeking processes. The self-incurred minority status essentially prevents one from being appraised for their actions since these actions are dictated by an outside source. The concept of morality is inseparable from the ability of each person to appraise its worth without being told the ‘right’ answer.
Work Cited
Kant, Immanuel. Practical Philosophy. Edited by Mary J. Gregor, Cambridge University Press, 1996.