KANT VS MILLS

According to Kant, “laziness and cowardice” (1) are why we don’t think for ourselves. But this also contributes to the difficulty of thinking for ourselves. We get into the habit of letting others think for us thus it gets increasingly difficult to break this pattern. It is simply easier to let others do the thinking for us. Those who do the thinking also contribute to the pattern. They would, of course, like to maintain their control over the masses that do not think for themselves, so, the “guardians” “show…the danger which threatens if they try

Inequality also contributes to our inability to think for ourselves. Our education is the first inequality that has this impact. Based upon our education, we are told what to think. If we have a good education, we are told that we are smart and can do good things in the world, but if education is poor, we are led to believe that we are incapable of intelligent thought and must let others tell us what to do. The inequality of education often is a direct result of inequality of wealth and status. The poor do not have the means to get a good education thus can never learn enough to think for themselves. But, why should we think for ourselves? While it is easier to let others think for you, and to tell you what to do, it is important that we think for ourselves. First, to think for ourselves helps to promote the progression of mankind. “A people, it appears, may be progressive for a certain length of time, and then stop: when does it stop? When it ceases to possess individuality,” (Mill 68). When we think for ourselves and assert our individuality, we progress as a culture and society. In addition, thinking for ourselves increases our own personal value, “ in proportion to the development of his individuality, each person becomes more valuable to himself, and is, therefore, capable of being more valuable to others,” (Mill 60).

In addition to presenting us with the problem, Mill and Kant also impart us with solutions. According to Kant, thinking for oneself and enlightenment are one and the same. He believes that the first step to enlightenment is to be given freedom. “Indeed, if only freedom is granted, enlightenment is almost sure to follow,” (Kant 2). “For enlightenment…nothing is required but freedom…it is the freedom to make public use of one’s reason at every point,” (Kant 2). “The public use of one’

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