Rahul Sheet
Ph.D Research Scholar, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira
E-mail: rahulsheet786@gmail.com
Issue: Volume 2 No. 1 (March 2026) Anubodhan
Received: 30 March 2026 / Accepted: 31 March 2026 / Published: 31 March 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n1.2026.049
Abstract
Immanuel Kant’s philosophy is often described as a synthesis of rationalism and empiricism, yet its deeper significance lies in his response to the broader challenges of the Enlightenment. In the Critique of Pure Reason, Kant defines transcendental philosophy as the study of the conditions that make knowledge possible a priori, thereby limiting reason to the bounds of possible experience and exposing the futility of transcendent speculation. His critical project arose within the intellectual climate of the Enlightenment, a period inspired by the scientific revolution, humanist traditions, and demands for political autonomy. The Enlightenment emphasized reason, critique, and independence of judgment, summed up in Kant’s famous motto: Sapere aude!—“Have the courage to use your own reason.”
Kant interprets Enlightenment as humanity’s “emergence from self-imposed immaturity,” a state not due to lack of intellect but to dependence, laziness, and cowardice. Overcoming immaturity requires intellectual courage, public discourse, and the cultivation of autonomy. Kant distinguishes between the “private use of reason,” bound by institutional roles, and the “public use of reason,” which must remain unrestricted for true progress. He argues that freedom of thought, open critique, and education are the essential conditions for enlightenment, which unfolds gradually rather than through violent revolution.
This study examines the concept of Enlightenment through three interrelated dimensions: its historical and philosophical context in Kant’s thought, the role of autonomy and reason in the development of human maturity, and the complex relationship between Enlightenment ideals and the emergence of Romanticism. By situating Kant’s philosophy within the broader intellectual debates of the eighteenth century, the discussion highlights the significance of Enlightenment thought in shaping modern ideas of freedom, rationality, and cultural development.
Key Words: Critique, Enlightenment, Immaturity, Rationalism, Empiricism, Transcendental Philosophy, Art
How to cite: Sheet, R. (2026). Reason, Autonomy, and the Limits of Enlightenment: Kant and the Romantic Response. Anubodhan, 2(1), 518–531. https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n1.2026.049