Excerpt from The Princeton Seminary Bulletin, 2000, Vol. 21Modernity has been especially productive in terms of images of adulthood. In some ways we may say that modernity itself was closely connected with the proud hope that humankind had finally reached adulthood and maturity. In any case, the immature dependence of pre-enlightenment times was to be overcome. Kant's famous response to the question, What is Enlighten ment? May be understood as an image for adulthood: leaving the state of being a dependent minor, leaving the state of not being autonomous.4 In Kant's understanding, the lack Of autonomy first of all referred to a lack of autonomous judgment - a state of not making use of one's rational capacities as a human person. Sapere aude! - Dare to know! - is the decisive step towards Enlightenment.On a more popular level one might say that modernity stands for the equation of adulthood with autonomy, with independence and with rational ity.

In this View, dependence is in turn identified with being a child who is still lacking autonomy, or with an elderly person who has lost his or her autonomy. Proper adulthood is then limited to that time of life which supposedly means being in full possession of one's abilities.Another well - known image of adulthood was set forth by Sigmund Freud from the perspective of psychological health. For him the ability to love and to work - Lichen und Arbeiten - characterizes the healthy adult.5 And psycho therapy in the sense of Freud is aimed at restoring this ability where it has been lost.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.

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