大众性启蒙

在前面两节的内容中，康德对“启蒙”进行了定义，同时还阐述了大众缺乏启蒙的内在原因。康德在最后指出，要是仅仅让个体通过自己的努力获得启蒙、摆脱强加给自己的不成熟的状态是非常困难的，如果单靠个体的努力无法获得启蒙，我们又该通过何种渠道去获得启蒙的希望呢？在这一节的内容中，康德将阐述社会的启蒙进步是如何一步步获得的。

There is more chance of an entire public enlightening itself. This is indeed almost inevitable, if only the public is left in freedom.

For there will always be a few who think for themselves, even among those appointed as guardians of the common mass.

Such guardians, once they have themselves thrown off the yoke of immaturity, will disseminate the spirit of rational respect for personal value and for the duty of all men to think for themselves.

The remarkable thing about this is that if the public, which was previously put under this yoke by the guardians, is suitably stirred up by some of the latter who are incapable of enlightenment, it may subsequently compel the guardians themselves to remain under the yoke.

For it is very harmful to implant prejudices, because they finally avenge themselves on the very people who first encouraged them (or their descendants).

Thus a public can only achieve enlightenment slowly.

▍生词好句

throw off: 摆脱；挣脱

yoke: n. 枷锁；束缚

immaturity: n. 未成熟

disseminate: vt. 传播；宣传

remarkable: adj. 卓越的；非凡的

stir up: 激起；唤起

implant: vt. 灌输；嵌入

prejudice: n. 偏见

descendant: n. 后裔；子孙