Sapere aude! – Immanuel Kant

You cannot speak about Enlightenment in Europe without naming Immanuel Kant. In his 1784 essay Was ist Aufklärung? he offered a definition, which was was bold in its simplicity: it is the human being's emergence from self-incurred immaturity — the failure to think for oneself, not from lack of capacity, but lack of resolve. His shorthand for this was sapere aude! : dare to know (or to think).

The essay raises questions that haven't settled with time. What does it mean to think for oneself, and how free are we to do so? How does his vision hold up in an age of algorithmic feeds, institutional inertia, Artificial Intelligence, and information overload? This evening takes the essay as a starting point for a broader conversation about autonomous thinking, critical expression, and what remains of the Enlightenment idea today. Prior reading is useful but not required.

Preparation:
For the aficionados and fans of Kant, join our premier reading session in April. Other preparation material:

The first 6 minutes of this podcast A 10-minutes introduction video

• The original text or English translation

For Philosophical Minds Zurich theme events in general:
At our theme events, we begin with a brief topic introduction, followed by engaging discussions in small groups. It’s all about conversation, not just listening. Also, please note, we keep the atmosphere relaxed and informal—there’s no pressure to speak in front of anyone.

Important: When you register for the event, please c