Dialectic of Enlightenment

The "Dialectic of Enlightenment," coined by philosophers Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno, critiques the Enlightenment's promise of reason and progress. They argue that while the Enlightenment aimed to liberate humanity through rational thought, it also led to new forms of domination, such as totalitarianism and technological control. This paradox suggests that reason, when taken to extremes, can result in oppression rather than freedom. Essentially, the work invites a reflection on how the very tools of enlightenment—reason and science—can inadvertently contribute to societal issues rather than solely promoting human flourishing.