My final enlightenment3. Explain and evaluate Foucault's notion of the “blackmail” of the Enlightenment. The term “Enlightenment” carries with it many different connotations. More commonly it can be described as a movement towards some kind of ultimate intuition or awareness, emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition. In the 17th century what were once considered among the most powerful social systems, law and politics, were critically rejected and the powers of reason and scientific research were embraced. Along with this change came a break with tradition and the adoption of a critical stance towards modern reality. Kant's response to the question of Enlightenment laid the foundation for countless discussions about the true meaning of this mysterious concept and also marked a critical point in our existence. The idea that we humans must achieve Enlightenment was something that Kant truly believed in, but his suggestions on how to achieve it were somewhat controversial and controversial. However, his goal was clear. First, people must free themselves from the “gatekeepers” who regulate how we think, and second, we must light the path so that we illuminate the path for others to follow. This notion of our essential Enlightenment is exactly why Foucault uses the term “blackmail,” because in his eyes there is no need to be for or against the Enlightenment. For him the most important aspect of the Enlightenment is that the Enlightenment itself is examined as a whole. What Foucault really wants us to do is to step back and really analyze the foundations of autonomy that we seemed to have built many of our structures on. It is necessary to draw our conclusions based on the Enlightenment s...... middle of paper ......xt. The first is that the use of reason is not necessarily a principle of freedom. This idea that the discovery of truth creates systems of power must be rejected. The second is that claiming that a certain form of rationality is the correct form, to be used by all individuals or society, cannot be what we consider normative. The third is that no theory, no matter how well intentioned, offers a defense against restrictions on the power of individuals. While these theories may provide ways to remove some of the existing structures, they inevitably create new restrictions for future generations. Every generation must face this struggle and find their own ways to challenge power structures. The most important lesson we need to learn from reading this piece is that being more human means creating a life out of the needs of our unique nature..