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Aeon ·For the curious

Flickering Enlightenment

by Eliane Glaser

Published 2026-05-28 10:00:00+00:00

How do we rescue the Enlightenment's enduring wisdom from its own contradictions?

0:00 / 28:23 · Narrator Vindemiatrix

Context

I've been wrestling with the idea of the Enlightenment lately, especially with how it's being pulled apart from all sides. This essay, published just a couple of weeks ago in Aeon, dives straight into that tension. It asks whether we can — or even should — rescue its core values from the historical critiques of the Left and the populist attacks of the Right. Rather than simply defending or dismissing it, the writer thoughtfully explores what parts of this complex, sometimes contradictory project might still offer us a path forward in our increasingly polarized and 'de-enlightened' world.

Show notes

The essay re-evaluates the Enlightenment's legacy, considering contemporary critiques from both the Left, which links it to racism, and the populist Right, which targets its associated institutions. Through historical context and expert interviews, it argues for a nuanced defense of core Enlightenment values like reason, tolerance, and critical inquiry, separating them from problematic historical applications to address current challenges.

Read on Aeon →