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1、IMMANUELKANTAnAnswertotheQuestion:WhatisEnlightenment?(1784)Enlightenmentisman'semergencefromhisself-imposedimmaturity.Immaturityistheinabilitytouseone'sunderstandingwithoutguidancefromanother.Thisimmaturityisself-imposedwhenitscauseliesnotinlackofunderstanding,butinlackofresol
2、veandcouragetouseitwithoutguidancefromanother.SapereAude![daretoknow]"Havecouragetouseyourownunderstanding!"--thatisthemottoofenlightenment.Lazinessandcowardicearethereasonswhysogreataproportionofmen,longafternaturehasreleasedthemfromalienguidance(natura-litermaiorennes),noneth
3、elessgladlyremaininlifelongimmaturity,andwhyitissoeasyforotherstoestablishthemselvesastheirguardians.Itissoeasytobeimmature.IfIhaveabooktoserveasmyunderstanding,apastortoserveasmyconscience,aphysiciantodeterminemydietforme,andsoon,Ineednotexertmyselfatall.Ineednotthink,ifonlyIc
4、anpay:otherswillreadilyundertaketheirksomeworkforme.Theguardianswhohavesobenevolentlytakenoverthesupervisionofmenhavecarefullyseentoitthatthefargreatestpartofthem(includingtheentirefairsex)regardtakingthesteptomaturityasverydangerous,nottomentiondifficult.Havingfirstmadetheirdo
5、mesticlivestockdumb,andhavingcarefullymadesurethatthesedocilecreatureswillnottakeasinglestepwithoutthego-carttowhichtheyareharnessed,theseguardiansthenshowthemthedangerthatthreatensthem,shouldtheyattempttowalkalone.Nowthisdangerisnotactuallysogreat,forafterfallingafewtimestheyw
6、ouldintheendcertainlylearntowalk;butanexampleofthiskindmakesmentimidandusuallyfrightensthemoutofallfurtherattempts.Thus,itisdifficultforanyindividualmantoworkhimselfoutoftheimmaturitythathasallbutbecomehisnature.Hehasevenbecomefondofthisstateandforthetimebeingisactuallyincapabl
7、eofusinghisownunderstanding,fornoonehaseverallowedhimtoattemptit.Rulesandformulas,thosemechanicalaidstotherationaluse,orrathermisuse,ofhisnaturalgifts,aretheshacklesofapermanentimmaturity.Whoeverthrewthemoffwouldstillmakeonlyanuncertainleapoverthesmallestditch,sinceheisunaccust
8、omedtothiskindoffreemovement.Consequently,onlyafewhave
