Re-Enlightenment: The Final Revolution of Humanity

We live in a time of truncated messages. Tweets replace debate, opinions drown out knowledge, and our society operates less in a mode of reflection than one of reaction. The mere fact that J.D. Vance attended the Munich Security Conference, and that Alice Weidel—yes, I have to pause in 2025 to even say this—represents the second-strongest political party in the so-called “land of poets and thinkers” underscores this reactive era.

It is a time of powerlessness—intellectually and socially. Trapped in old assumptions, we have become an undead society, paralyzed by unthinking reactivity instead of consciously shaping our world. Technological developments advance faster than we can grasp, reflect upon, or integrate them into society. Knowledge is ever-present and practically limitless, yet people are growing estranged from their own reason. They have become “philosophical zombies”—the lights are on, but no one’s home: there is no awareness of one’s own perception. They are ensnared by algorithms that push them deeper and deeper into echo chambers of confirmation bias.

And yet there was a time when Europe had the courage to break free from dogma and dare to think anew. The Enlightenment was a revolution of the mind, a radical act of self-empowerment through reason. Now, as we find ourselves in an age of “Entdarkenment,” we need a Re-Enlightenment—a renaissance of the Enlightenment that can shatter today’s intellectual inertia and make philosophy dangerous again: dangerous because it not only interprets the world but actively shapes it.

From the Echo of Algorithms to the Voice of Reason

Just as Immanuel Kant once proclaimed “Sapere aude!”—encouraging people to use their own reason—so too do we need a new age of Enlightenment now. Our society must not merely consume knowledge; it must dare to apply it. The idea of “Re-Enlightenment” is not a nostalgic throwback, but a radical call to think critically, to doubt, and to make independent judgments.

We have to replace our “culture of reacting” with a “culture of reflecting.” Instead of giving in to impulsive outrage or polarization, we must rediscover what it means to be truly mature and informed. Philosophy must not remain tucked away in the ivory tower of academia; it has to become something people can use in everyday life—a reason-based force that also finds its rightful place in politics, business, and technology.

Three Theses on Re-Enlightenment

1. Return to Reason
   We need to build a society governed by understanding—where our thinking is not shaped by algorithms, but rather we shape the algorithms. Education should not be reduced to rote learning of facts; it must foster intellectual depth, sharpen critical thinking, and place the ability to form independent judgments at its core.
2. Courage to Pursue Truth
   Our commitment to truth must outweigh our desire to confirm our own worldviews. We need a culture in which disagreement is not an attack but an invitation to think. Scientific and philosophical discourse must once again occupy a central role in how we make decisions as a society.
3. A Humanism of Possibility
   Technology is not our enemy but our tool—one that must be anchored in an ethical framework that centers on human beings. AI and automation should not lead to a loss of self-determination or numb our awareness. A new Enlightenment means fusing digital progress with humanistic values, ensuring technology is designed to serve humanity.

Between Being and Becoming—Thinking as Action

Just yesterday, I was at the indoor track watching my daughter compete. Between events, a respected colleague and I discussed everyday happenings, the current state of world affairs, our sports team, and our own perceptions. “None of it really affects me anymore,” he said. “I just want my peace.” That sentiment sums up our time well: we are losing our capacity for wonder. We set aside our sense of responsibility—and with it our vitality. We become a society that amuses itself to death without experiencing any real joy. We grow inactive and lethargic, like the undead. There is no creativity, no drive, and our future slips away in the process.

I am convinced that our actions and our thinking will determine if and how our species endures. It is not climate change, the nuclear threat, or the danger of a third world war that poses the greatest challenge. Far more critical is how we understand ourselves: Who are we? What have we become? And above all—what do we want to become next?

Our biggest problem is not mere survival; it is our lack of awareness of what makes us human and where we are headed. It is about our vitality and the ongoing fight against the looming undead state that threatens us. And so, on this Sunday morning, I come to the heart of the call to action. Our task is clear: we must bring the idea of the Enlightenment into the 21st century—a philosophy that does not just describe but also creates. We are the thinkers of our time, and Re-Enlightenment is a vibrant dance at the outskirts of mind and matter. It starts now, and it aims at nothing less than continuing the grand story of humanity.