sapere aude
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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Latin [edit]
Etymology [edit]
It is from the epithet of a parable, explaining that a fool waits for the stream to stop before crossing, while a wise man forgoes comfort and crosses anyway.
The original use seems to be in Epistle II of Horace's Epistularum liber primus[1]: Dimidium facti qui coepit habet: sapere aude ("He who has begun is half done: dare to know!").
Phrase [edit]
- "Dare to know"
- "Dare to be wise"
- "Have courage to use your own reason", in the context of committing to tasks that need to be embarked upon, however unpleasant or awkward.
Usage notes [edit]
- Immanuel Kant described it as the motto of the Enlightenment in his essay "What Is Enlightenment?".
- It is a frequently used motto for academic institutions.
