Transcendentalism

[chewybrian]

I would like to see what people think this philosophical movement is all about, and what elements of it might ring true or false to them. I'll begin by trying to define the movement in broad terms, though I will admit I don't have the greatest understanding, and welcome others elaborating or correcting anything I might not get quite right.

Self reliance seems to be the core concept. We might see the example of Thoreau living alone in a cabin and think this self-reliance could be the kind practiced by Ted Nugent or even (shudder) Ayn Rand. But, it is not really about doing for yourself only, about shunning society or living in anarchy. Rather, it seems to be about self-reliance in the sense of relying upon your own intuition in judgements of truth, or in concepts like justice. The argument seems to be that if we import a system of ethics from the outside, we shut off our thinking, and may act against our inner voice which tells us right from wrong, which is often the better barometer. Lest you think it is a cop out or a call to anarchy, Emerson challenges us to live just one day in concert with our own inner guide, and see just how difficult it is to do so.

Living simply is another key element. It is not so much about denying ourselves the benefits of technology, but about living the best life, and making sure that we don't work harder in the name of alleged luxury than we might if we simply turned to enjoy what we already have.

Passive resistance to injustice was a big factor in the movement, as a natural result of listening to one's inner voice. For example, Thoreau was jailed for refusing to pay his poll tax because he did not want to help to fund a system that allowed slavery. Gandhi, MLK, Rosa Parks and others practiced the methods provided by the transcendentalists for bringing about change and justice without committing more injustice along the way.

Returning to nature is one more theme. This is not a luddite refusal to accept technology, but just an acknowledgement that nature is important and has value to us as well. They wanted to help preserve a portion of the earth in a state of nature forever, such that all people in the future could experience the natural world and its ability to help us find ourselves and see and think more clearly.

I see many parallels with Stoicism: the idea that our will is a slice of God within us, the idea that we should not bring our prayers to the oracle if we already know what is right, the notion of living simply in order to live the best life, the idea that philosophy is something to be lived, that our ideas mean nothing if we are not ready and wiling to live according to them.

All this I present by no means as an attempt to direct the discussion, but just to give some idea of what we are talking about for any who might not be too familiar with this American philosophy. I very much welcome insight from people who do know something about it, and any and all opinions about the usefulness of this way of thinking.

[Nick_A]

As I understand it, transcendentalism is the effort to transcend ones own fallen nature. Plato defined Man as a tripartite soul or three in one. Man is not inner unity but is made up of three basic parts: appetites, (physical desires), emotions, and reason. The fallen human condition has Man governed primarily by appetites, negative emotions which defend their value and reason to intellectually justify being governed by appetites rather than reason.

Transcendentalism values God, individualism, idealism, and the divinity of nature. At the same time transcendentalism values the oversoul; the idea that at a higher level we are all part of the same organism. The real Man is a unique individual who also knows he is an atom of the oversoul and lives by this premise. The oversoul connects heaven and earth.

Can Man transcend his own fallen nature through his own efforts? I don't believe so and why I lean towards Christianity. It offers the help through the energy of grace to transcend our own fallen nature in the human struggle to consciously evolve.

It's not so easy as Thoreau points out:

The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face? - Thoreau, Walden

[chewybrian]

As I understand it, transcendentalism is the effort to transcend ones own fallen nature. Plato defined Man as a tripartite soul or three in one. Man is not inner unity but is made up of three basic parts: appetites, (physical desires), emotions, and reason. The fallen human condition has Man governed primarily by appetites, negative emotions which defend their value and reason to intellectually justify being governed by appetites rather than reason.

Transcendentalism values God, individualism, idealism, and the divinity of nature. At the same time transcendentalism values the oversoul; the idea that at a higher level we are all part of the same organism. The real Man is a unique individual who also knows he is an atom of the oversoul and lives by this premise. The oversoul connects heaven and earth.

Can Man transcend his own fallen nature through his own efforts? I don't believe so and why I lean towards Christianity. It offers the help through the energy of grace to transcend our own fallen nature in the human struggle to consciously evolve.

It's not so easy as Thoreau points out:

The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face? - Thoreau, Walden

Thanks for the insights. I know there is a large element of religion in the philosophy. But, just as with Stoicism, I think there is value in the philosophy with or without belief. Stoicism was the foundation for cognitive behavioral therapy. It helps people face adversity and inspires them to live simply. Transcendentalism was a factor in the development of the national park system and inspired important passive resistance movements. The philosophies can have these impacts whether people are attached to the religious aspects or not.

Do I think man can overcome his nature through his own efforts? No, not really. But he can make progress. He can become a better person and live happier. I'm not convinced that God is really there to help me on my journey, though I don't 100% rule it out. I do think that some people are helped along by their belief, though, whether it is grounded in reality or not.

[Fellowmater]

I always viewed this as a fight between unity and individuality. Individuality should not be discouraged, but neither should following society's norms. While it's true that society is full of flaws, it still presents to us one of humanity's greatest attributes: unity. Unity is one of the most important things we have at our disposal, and it cannot be more important than individuality. People can and should try to reach their full potential, but the moment they start denying what's normal and expected, they become a problem.

[chewybrian]

I always viewed this as a fight between unity and individuality. Individuality should not be discouraged, but neither should following society's norms. While it's true that society is full of flaws, it still presents to us one of humanity's greatest attributes: unity. Unity is one of the most important things we have at our disposal, and it cannot be more important than individuality. People can and should try to reach their full potential, but the moment they start denying what's normal and expected, they become a problem.

I do see where it could be a problem for people to ignore society's norms, but it could also be a solution. It seems like this particular philosophy is directing us to solutions rather than problems. If the norm is slavery or racism, then we are correct to oppose it. But, there is no call here for riots or murders, but rather quiet protest, perhaps spending a night in jail for refusing to obey an unjust law. It seems to find a good balance. The point is to draw attention to the problem and to allow its flaws to be seen by others without fighting injustice with more injustice, or considering ourselves to be above the rule of law.