The Philosophy of Transcendentalism Essay - 1292 Words

Transcendentalism was a philosophy that became influential during the 1800s. It was based on the belief that knowledge is not limited to and solely derived from experience and observation but from the truths seem through reason. In the United Sates, transcendentalism became both a philosophy and a literary, religious, and social movement. Emphasis was placed mainly on oneness with nature and God while making the possibility of social change a reality. Ralph Waldo Emerson was the leading American transcendentalist whose theories were a primary influence in transcendentalist thought and writing. Through the knowledge and direction of Ralph Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau also became leading scholars of their time by†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nothing is possible within our distinctively human world without creative insight and interpretation. His attention to what it means to make something new and his concern about the influence of the past, of books and monuments, mark him as an important figure in the production of a national literature† (Carr, 10). The Over-soul is the philosophy that the nature in which we reside creates our world in depth by means of our insight and interpretations. Emersons emphasis on nonconformity and integrity shows that the Over-soul creates a world through individuals; a thought that is similar to the romantic nationalism of nineteenth century Europe. â€Å"Emerson provides a framework for flexible relations to the world around us. American romantics, like their British and European predecessors, sought to revitalize the concepts of self, nature, and society in a climate of intellectual skepticism† (Allison, 1). Through British critical theory, Emerson asserts the miracle of nature perceived through symbols and supernaturalism. His theories profoundly influenced those of his successors and all subsequent American writing. â€Å"From his moment to ours, American authors either are in his tradition, or else in a counter tradition—originating to oppose him† (Bloom, 67). Through his extensive writings of books, essays and poetry, Henry David Thoreau gave the American public a deep insight to the new world ofShow MoreRelatedTranscendentalism, An American Philosophy1640 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican philosophers during the early to mid-1800s embraced a new liberal movement known as transcendentalism that posed a silent threat to the current social and political institutions of the time period. Henry David Thoreau acted as the father of this new philosophy that would go on to transform the social structure of America into what it is and is still becoming today. Transcendentalism is an American philosophy that humankind has an innate sense of being and knowledge of the world around them thatRead MoreHenry David Thoreau : The Philosophy Of Transcendentalism1055 Words   |  5 PagesThe philosophy of Transcendentalism, according to the article â€Å"Transcendentalism, An American Philosophy† is believed to have been created and led by Ralph Waldo Emerson, which is why he is considered by many literary scholars and historians to be the father of Transcendentalism. Throughout the years, this philosophy attracted other artists and thinkers such as the American Romantic novelist Henry David Thoreau. These prominent and poetic individuals created an insight for this movement, believingRead More Transcendentalism: The Philosophy Of The Mind Essay example1046 Words   |  5 Pages Transcendentalism: The Philosophy of the Mind nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Transcendentalism is the view that the basic truth of the universe lies beyond the knowledge obtained from the senses, a knowledge that transcendentalists regard as the mere appearance of things (Adventures 162). Transcendentalists believe the mind is where ideas are formed. The transcendentalist ideas of God, man, and the universe were not all original, but were a combination of other philosophies and religions. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;OneRead MoreEssay on Transcendentalism1619 Words   |  7 Pages Transcendentalism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Many people have theories and philosophies about life in general. There have been hundreds of thousands of books published by many different people on the ideas of people in the past and the present. Transcendentalism falls in amongst all of these ideas. There have been articles, essays, poems, and even books written about this subject. Transcendentalism has effected many people since the philosophy was first introduced. The idea was complex andRead MoreRalph Waldo Emersons Connection To Transcendentalism1223 Words   |  5 Pagesand essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson who was part of the Transcendentalist movement which geared philosophical thinking that involved viewing women as equal. Philip F. Gura, Transcendentalism and Social Reform, History Now, assessed May 14, 2017, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/first-age-reform/essays/transcendentalism-and-social-reform. Emerson s support for women s suffrage prompted him to write A Reasonable Reform to promote anti-suffrage and allow women to vote so that it [brings]Read MoreMartin Luther King, And Nelson Mandela1678 Words   |  7 Pagespolitical philosophy he follows was created at the same time as the transcendentalist movement, leading transcendentalism to not be widespread. One historical figure that was a transcendentalist thinker was Martin Luther King. King displays these transcendental ideas in his philosophies, such as his Triple Evil philosophy and Six Principles of Nonviolence philosophy, as well as in his protest. Martin Luther King, throughout his career as both a pastor and a protester, created much philosophy concerningRead MoreTranscendentalism : The Light That We Can Not See1689 Words   |  7 PagesTranscendentalism: The Light That We Cannot See â€Å"Transcendentalism [†¦] has primarily much the position of the sun [†¦] We are conscious of it as of a kind of splendid confusion [†¦] But the circle of the moon is as clear and unmistakable, as recurrent and inevitable, as the circle of Euclid on a blackboard† (Chesterton, 24). These words encapsulate the driving rationale of the anti-transcendentalist argument – that although individuals seek transcendentalism, they can never truly realize it, or,Read MoreAnalysis Of The Book Into The Wild By Jon Krakauer1669 Words   |  7 PagesElements of Transcendentalism In the book, â€Å"Into the Wild† by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless is an in-the-closet transcendentalist; all of his ethics match up with those of a transcendentalist, yet he never admits he is one. McCandless agrees with all of the components of transcendentalism and follows them unremittingly as soon as he graduates from college, and he lives by those components to a fault, which ultimately led to his death. Deliberate living, nonconformity, and simplicity are three cardinalRead MoreEarly American Transcendentalism1204 Words   |  5 PagesEarly American transcendentalism has one of the greatest influences towards American society because it is not only a philosophy, but also a religion and physical progression. During the early nineteenth century, Ralph Emerson, Henry Thoreau, and other radical individuals challenged the present day theories of values, ethics, and what it means to live life to the fullest (Timko). If early American transcendentalists were living among ci vilians today, would present day civilians think the earlierRead MoreEE Cummings - Anyone lived in a pretty howtown and Maggie and millie and molly and may800 Words   |  4 Pagesand many other poets of his time, Cummings expresses in his poetry his philosophical views of individualism and transcendentalism, and his criticism towards society s intolerance of nonconformists. He particularly conveys his philosophy of individualism and view of how we are all forced to conform in his poem’s ‘anyone lived in a pretty how town’ and his philosophy on transcendentalism in ‘maggie and milly and molly and may’ through the use of his experimental poetic techniques and his use of homophones