Enlightenment

• n. 悟り; 開始; 教化

en-「入る」、「作る」、light「光」。宗教用語で閃光、悟り、啓示。

enlightenment (n.)

1660s, "action of enlightening," from enlighten + -ment. Used only in figurative sense, of spiritual enlightenment, etc. Attested from 1865 as a translation of German Aufkl?rung, a name for the spirit of independent thought and rationalistic system of 18c. Continental philosophers.

For the philosophes, man was not a sinner, at least not by nature; human nature -- and this argument was subversive, in fact revolutionary, in their day -- is by origin good, or at least neutral. Despite the undeniable power of man's antisocial passions, therefore, the individual may hope for improvement through his own efforts -- through education, participation in politics, activity in behalf of reform, but not through prayer. [Peter Gay, "The Enlightenment"]

1. Stella had a moment of enlightenment .

ステラはぱっと明るくなった。

2.The newspapers provided little enlightenment about the cause of the accident.

報は事故原因を説明していない。

3.The socialists saw themselves as true heirs of the Enlightenment .

社会主義者は自分が啓蒙運動の真の継承者だと思っている。

4.I gained a good deal of enlightenment from him.

私は彼から多くのヒントを得た。

5.A person with enlightenment knows the value of education.

開明した人は教育の価値を知っている。