Enlightenment is man's release from his self-incurred tutelage.
- Tutelage is man's ability to make use of his understanding without direction from another; and
- Self-incurred is this tutelage when it's cause lies not in lack of courage to use your own reason - that is the motto of Enlightenment!
Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why so great a portion of mankind, after nature has long since discharged them from external direction (naturaliter maiorennes), nevertheless, remains under lifelong tutelage and why it is so easy for other's to set themselves up as their guardians. It is so easy not to be of age. If I have a book which understands for me, a pastor who has a conscience for me, a physician who decides my diet, and so forth..... I need not to trouble myself. I need not to think, if I can only pay - other's will easily undertake the irksome work for me.
That the step to competence is held to be very dangerous by the far greater portion of mankind (and by the entire fair sex) - quite apart from it's being arduous is seen to by those guardians, who have so kindly assumed superintendence over them. After the guardians have first made their domestic cattle dumb and have made sure that these placid creatures will not dare take a single step without the harness of the cart to which they are tethered, the guardians then show them the danger which threatens if they try to go alone. Actually, however, this danger is not so great, for by falling a few times they would finally learn to walk alone. But an example of this failure makes them timid and ordinarily frightens them away from all further trials.
For any single individual to work himself / herself out of the life under tutelage, which has become almost his/her nature, is very difficult. He/Her has come to be fond of his/her state and he/her is for the present really incapable of making use of his/her reason, for no one has ever let him try it out. Statutes and formula's, those mechanical tools of the rational employment, or rather misemployment of his/her natural gifts, are the fetters of an everlasting tutelage. Whoever throws them off, makes only an uncertain leap over the narrowest ditch because, he/her is not accustomed to that kind of free motion. Therefore, there are few who have succeeded by their own exercise of mind. Both in freeing themselves from incompetence and in achieving a steady pace.
But that the public should Enlighten itself is more possible. Indeed, if only freedom is granted then Enlightenment is almost sure to follow. For there will always be some independent thinkers, even among the established guardians of the great masses, who - after throwing off the yoke of tutelage from their own shoulders, will disseminate the spirit of the rational appreciation of both their own worth and every man's vocation for thinking for him/herself. But be it noted to the public, which has first been brought under this yoke by their guardians, forces the guardians themselves to remain bound when it's incited to do so by some of the guardians who are themselves capable of some Enlightenment - so harmful is it implant prejudices, for they later take vengeance on their cultivators or on their descendants. Thus, the public can only slowly attain Enlightenment. Perhaps, a fall of personal despotism or of avaricious or tyrannical oppression may be accomplished by revolution, but never a true reform in ways of thinking. Farther, new prejudices will serve as well as old ones to harness to the great unthinking masses.
Which restriction is an obstacle to Enlightenment and which is not an obstacle but a promoter of it?
Dr Theresa
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