Transcendentalism

Essay by chrissaHigh School, 11th grade April 2004

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= a literay movement in the mid-1800's during the American Renaissance

Renaissance: a rebirth or revival; a burst of artistic activity (art, literature, theater, dance, etc.)

Immanuel Kant: German philosopher from whom the word transcendentalism came. The word refers to the idea that in order to determine the ultimate reality of God, universe, self and other important matters, one must transcend or go beyond everyday human experience in the physical world.

Ideas and Belief of Transcendentalism:

- everything in the world, including human beings is a reflection of the Divine or Over Soul

- the physical facts of the natural are a doorway to the spiritual or ideal world

- people can use their intuition to behold God's spirit revealed in nature or in their own souls

- self-reliance and individualism must outweigh external authority and blind conformity to custom and trdition

- spontaneous feelings and intuition are superior to deliberat intellectualism and rationality

Intuition: capacity to know things spontaneously and immediately through our emotions