Immanuel Kant may have been a real pissant, but I knew there was a reason I liked him. In this weeks New Scientist there is an article on knowledge, and he is sighted as a aggitator in the quest for Enlightenment. The following was quoted from one of his books:

"Enlightenment, is mans emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! [Dare to know!] Have courage to use your own understanding! That is the motto of enlightenment."

I was shocked and stunned at reading this, because I have arrived at the same conclusion, and it seems to me that mental maturity is something that most people never achieve. Having the confidence to go your own way with your thinking is something that I had taken for granted, but here I see it is a mark of the enlightened, so once again my state of mind seems to be reveered and my journey unnecessary.

Am I lucky to be this way? I think i'm more likely to be lucky not to have had my thoughts stifled to the point where I do not have the confidence to speak out. Everyone on the quest for enlightenment is probably already there, and everyone else has the potential to realise they can be there too. It certainly puts the world of modern science in perspective for me; may I say week minded, bullied, and fearful.

I must buy some kant philosophy that goes beyond Sophie's world...

I turned the channel but nothing is changing,
the only truth is that everything is a lie.
Eels, Mental