Sapere Aude
The Latin phrase meaning 'dare to know' - courage to use one's own understanding.
Also known as: Dare to know, Dare to be wise, Think for yourself
Category: Concepts
Tags: philosophies, wisdom, courage, thinking, enlightenment
Explanation
Sapere aude (Latin for 'dare to know' or 'dare to be wise') is a phrase from Horace, later used by Kant as the motto of the Enlightenment. The concept involves: having courage to think independently, not relying solely on authorities for knowledge, and trusting your own reason and investigation. Kant defined Enlightenment as emergence from self-imposed immaturity - the inability to use understanding without another's guidance. Barriers to sapere aude include: fear of being wrong, comfort in received wisdom, and social pressure to conform. The dare involves: questioning accepted beliefs, investigating for yourself, and standing by conclusions despite opposition. The concept doesn't mean rejecting all expertise but rather: engaging critically with knowledge, not accepting claims uncritically, and developing your own informed judgment. For knowledge workers, sapere aude means: questioning industry assumptions, investigating claims rather than accepting them, developing independent judgment, and having courage to voice reasoned disagreement.
Related Concepts
← Back to all concepts