041--Sapere Aude: Bebop and (Kantian) Autonomy

This episode begins by examining historiographical accounts of the rise of bebop and places bebop within the context of Harlem and 52nd Street. The second segment discusses the famous essay "What Is Enlightenment?" by Immanuel Kant and unpacks his concept of autonomy as presented there. Michel Foucault's critical take on Kant's essay introduces the idea of autonomy involving working at the edges of one's being. The final segment presents Harlem and 52nd street as two zones of autonomy for bebop--one involving relatively safe experimentation within isolation and the other offering social change at the risk of assimilation into tradition.