IEP #2 Emily
Enlightenment is the presence of courage to search for truth and knowledge. According to the article, Immanuel Kant warns us to avoid nonage and criticizes the role of guardians. He also divides enlightenment into two parts: the public use of reason and the private use of reason, then compares the difference between a citizen and a scholar. Moreover, Kant gives an example of an ideal enlightenment century under the control of Frederick the
Great. The requirement to improve from an age of enlightenment to an enlightened age is freedom, because enlightenment is inevitable when freedom is given.
Kant starts the article by warning people to avoid nonage, which means a period of immaturity when one isn’t able to understand without another’s guidance. He poin ts out the motto of enlightenment “Have the courage to use your own understanding,” to brighten and inspire people’s thoughts. The reasons for favor of being in the period of nonage are laziness and cowardice.
To further the point, it is the unwillingness to activity and reliance on guardians. Kant criticizes the role of guardians for two reasons. First is because they are the ones who make people dull and unwillingness for

IEP #2 Emily enlightenment. Secondly is because they will threat people who propose danger against their docile cattle. Therefore, the author tells us to be independent thinkers and encourages everyone to search for freedom.
In addition, Kant separates enlightenment into two parts, which are the public and private use of reasons. The public use of reason draws in the use that individuals are free to make their own reason on any issue. On the other hand, private use of reason involves the restriction and hindrance of the progress to enlightenment. Kant mentions that citizens only have public use of reason. However, scholars have both public and private use of reasons. For instance, in the problem of taxing, a citizen must obey the law or else will gain bad reputations and may be punished as a scandal. In contrast, a scholar has the right to question and express his objections to the injustice of taxes levied upon them. Kant suggests that only public use of reason will help us to achieve freedom and bring enlightenment.
Furthermore, Kant gives an example of an ideal enlightenment century under the control of Frederick the Great. Frederick allows all people under his reign to publish their ideas freely, including citizens and scholars. In earlier

IEP #2 Emily times, church had the most influential power in the society, so getting out of the restriction from religion is the most important step toward enlightenment.
Prince Frederick successfully achieved the goal by allowing citizens to have freedom believing in their own reason and religion. Frederick the Great is a perfect example who provides all people from Prussia opportunities to reach their own enlightenment.
Although I agree with Immanuel Kant’s perspective of enlightenment, I still believe that enlightenment is a word that cannot be explained explicitly in just only a short period of time. If we want the age of enlightenment to come, we must avoid nonage and get rid off our laziness and cowardice. Nowadays, people have get used to live in a world without doubting anything. We should take our greatest chance of freedom to move from an age of enlightenment toward an enlightened age.