Kant wrote a famous article entitled "What is Enlightenment" in 1784. Kant begins with the following definition of enlightenment:

Enlightenment is man's escape from the immaturity he has imposed on himself. Immaturity means that a person cannot use his or her own understanding without the guidance of others. If the reason for this is not a lack of understanding, but a lack of decisiveness and courage to use it without the guidance of others, this immaturity is imposed on oneself. Therefore, the motto of the Enlightenment is: Dare to be smart! Dare to use your own understanding! For these immature states, Kant listed using ready-made books to replace one's own understanding, relying on priests to guide one's spiritual life, and relying on doctors to determine one's own spiritual life. Diet, etc., and the most immature, in Kant's view, is the current state of religion. Kant pointed out that it is difficult to expect individuals to break out of this immature state because it has become so deeply habitual that it has almost become second nature. People become accustomed to this state, and even start to like this state, because if they give up independent thinking, they will eventually lose the ability to think independently. Adhering to dogma and clinging to shortcomings have thus become the shackles of immaturity. Even if someone throws off these shackles, he will still be at a loss and at a loss because he is not used to free movement. Therefore, Kant said that only a small number of people can successfully get rid of immaturity and boldly follow their own path. Kant believes that "enlightenment" is to let those who do not lack reason come out of the state of guardianship and tell them to dare to know! Have the courage to use your own reason!

The so-called "warded state" is what Rousseau believed was a state in which one cannot use one's own reason and cannot survive independently, but needs to transfer one's freedom and be under guardianship in order to survive.