sapere aude
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Latin
Etymology
Literally, “dare to know”. It is from the epithet of a parable, explaining that a fool waits for the stream to stop before crossing.
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!”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /ˈsa.pe.re ˈau̯.deː/,
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈsa.pe.re ˈau̯.de/,
Phrase
- have the courage to think for yourself
- 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
- 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.