Lecture
Enlightenment in Kantian and Nietzschean Perspective

What is more important in the pursuit of maturity? Is it reason-rationality or will? Discover with us the Kantian and Nietzschean perspective on the topic of Enlightenment and nonage.

Sat, 09.11.2024
06:00 GoetheHaus Jakarta

In his article 'What is Enlightenment,' Immanuel Kant urged his contemporaries to grow into maturity. For Kant, an Enlightened person is a mature one, meaning someone who dares to use their own reason.

On the other hand, Friedrich Nietzsche sharply criticized the Enlightenment for overemphasizing reason. He argued that human maturity is not primarily determined by reason, but by the will (the entirety of the human self).

Despite their differences, there is a common ground to highlight: both of these German thinkers encourage us to confront reality as it truly is.

To be mature or 'enlightened' requires not only rational development but also the integrity of the will (that is, the wholeness of the human being both physically and psychologically).

Kant's famous motto 'Sapere Aude!' (dare to know) must be lived out wisely. If courage stems from resentment and anger, it will surely lead to horror.

But if courage comes from the understanding that we must embrace our fate with calm (Nietzsche’s famous phrase 'Amor Fati'), then we truly become mature human beings in the fullest sense.

Dr. Augustinus Setyo Wibowo
was born in 1969 in Ambarawa, Central Java. He received his Masters and Doctorate degrees from Université Paris-1, Panthéon-Sorbonne, Paris, France. He is a Catholic priest of the Order of the Society of Jesus, and a permanent lecturer at the Driyarkara School of Philosophy, Jakarta. He teaches a number of courses, such as History of Greek Philosophy, History of Contemporary Philosophy, Metaphysics, and Philosophy of Science. Currently, he is also a guest lecturer at the S3 Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kepolisian (STIK-PTIK), Jakarta.

Retno Daru Dewi GSP, M.A.
Daru is an experienced teacher with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. Skilled in English as a Second Language (ESL), Lecturing, and Curriculum Development. She's a strong education professional with Master's degrees focused in Education from Brunel University and Philosophy from University of Indonesia. Her analytic skill has brought her to become one of the editorial staff at Jurnal Perempuan, the first feminist journal in Indonesia.