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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 5 page paper considers positions on the subject by Kant and Ransom and argues that in order to achieve enlightenment, one must be spiritually connected to a higher power and that no man can get in the way. Frederick Douglass and Rousseau are mentioned in the discussion. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
Page Count:
5 pages (~225 words per page)
File: RT13_SA219enl.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
if ones surroundings are bleak. Enlightenment has been defined in different ways. In the East, enlightenment has really referred to the goal of spiritual striving and of spiritual attainment
(Cohen, 2002). Because Eastern philosophy has entered the West, the terminology had entered the westerners world view (2002). It has also always referred to an experiential recognition of what
is absolute by nature, but what that absolute is, and what it has to do with human life, continues to live in ambiguity (2002). Finally, Cohen (2002) admits: "
The more we have looked, the more fascinated we have become to discover the enormity of diverging views about this most challenging concept" (2002, p.PG). While it may be impossible
to define enlightenment specifically, at least without inviting controversy, two theorists--Immanual Kant and Reverdy Ransom-- suggest that enlightenment comes from two different places, and are essentially two different things. Kant
sees enlightenment as emanating from reason. Man is different from animals because of his ability to reason and man must get there with this faculty intact. That said, nothing can
prevent man but himself from doing so. Yet, it seems that Ransom sees the shackles of slavery as limiting and that it prevents not only the slaves but the Christians
who own them from becoming enlightened through religion. Clearly, Immanual Kant and Reverdy Ransom have two different takes on the concept of enlightenment. They both write about freedom and religion
but with different goals, and ideas, in mind. While Ransom makes sense, and makes a lot of good points, it is Kant who points out that man is the only
one who can transcend his mortal limitations through reason. Ransom supports Christianity. There are essentially two arguments. One is that limitations outside of ones self can hinder spiritual progress and
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