What is Emergence? A Continuation of Kant’s Enlightenment
In 1784, Immanuel Kant defined enlightenment as humanity’s emergence from self-imposed immaturity. He called on individuals to dare to know, to use their reason, and to embrace intellectual freedom. But what comes next? How does humanity take this enlightenment further, growing into a world where wisdom and meaning are not imposed but emerge naturally? The answer lies in the Philosophy of Emergence. If enlightenment was the first step—liberating humanity from external control—then emergence is the next step: creating the conditions for growth, understanding, and truth to reveal themselves. From Enlightenment to Emergence Kant challenged humanity to think for itself, to question authority, and to rely on reason. He saw immaturity as a state of dependence, where individuals relied on others to think for them. But while enlightenment freed humanity from external control, it left us with a new challenge: what do we do with this freedom? The Philosophy of Emergence offers a way forward. It ...