This is John Batchel, a conversation with colleague Peter Berkowitz of the Hoover Institution about an article in Manhattan City Journal by Martin Goury.

A philosophical article.

Mr. Goury invents the term endarkenedment, the opposite, the very, very opposite of enlightenment.

America is an enlightenment product, endarkenedment.

Mr. Gurry is not happy with the present situation in the Enlightenment America.

Peter Berkowitz here defines it for us and gives an example.

More of this tonight.

Endarkment.

What is it?

First, then the larger term, the endarkenedment.

Of course, it's a play on the Enlightenment.

What is the Enlightenment?

The Enlightenment is the modern embrace,

hundreds of years ago,

at the dawn of modernity,

of modern science, actually in morals and politics of the idea that all human beings are by nature free and equal.

And the Enlightenment expresses a general confidence that by use of reason, rather than relying

on authority or tradition, by use of reason, rather than relying on authority or tradition, by use of reason,

human beings can make themselves, can build good lives from this, they can achieve happiness,

and they can do justice.

This is the enlightenment.

What is the endarkenedment?

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