Transcendentalism: An American Philosophy of the 19th Century
The philosophical movement occurred in the 1820s and 30s in the eastern part of the United States of America. It is called Transcendentalism where the transcendentalists believed and witnessed the existence of inherent goodness among others. This inherent goodness is a core belief that is reflected by the people around despite being shadowed by the corruption in the society and other relevant institutions. They believed that this core belief is nearer than heaven and is a part of spiritual and physical phenomena but not discrete entities.
What is Transcendentalism?
The philosophers and writers in the 19th Century in New England, the eastern part of the United States of America, were bound together based on an idealistic thought process. This idealistic system of thoughts was based on beliefs of the unity of all the creations on earth along with the inherent goodness linked to humanity. It also followed the ideologies that reflect on the supremacy of insights over experience and logic regarding the revelation of truths.
In this aspect, the transcendental meaning suggests anything that is done or witnessed that is beyond the physical world. It is directly linked with the spiritual world and can be related to religions too. In simpler words, it meant anything that is beyond the physical realm we see and feel every day. It can be felt in everyday experiences around us and even among other people.
It directly reflected on the part where humans showed goodness, compassion, empathy, etc that cannot be explained by empiricism. This was not a typical movement rather a transformation in the thinking process of the brilliant minds of the contemporary era. The transcendentalists believed in the existence of spirituality or a divine experience existing in everyday life that seemed closer than the distant heaven.
The Belief System of American Transcendentalism
As mentioned earlier, the writers, poets, and philosophers of this era were following a path of divinity and spirituality without getting attached to the distant possibility of the existence of heaven. They believed in the existence of transcendental things within every human being coexisting in the ecosystem or among all the creations.
The adherents to this belief system were called transcendentalists. American Transcendentalism is believed to originate or rather form to oppose the corrupted spirituality and intellectualism during the contemporary era. They strongly believed that the inherent goodness within all was polluted by the present corruption in society.
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They also believed that spiritual and physical phenomena were not discrete rather exist in the right form and need to be perceived. They thought and believed that the goodness among people has been polluted due to the contemporary practices and institutions of society.
The Transcendentalist movement is believed to emerge from German and English Romanticism. It originated from the skepticism done by David Hume, the huge criticism of Friedrich Schleiermacher and Johann Gottfried conglomerated with the transcendental philosophy of German Idealism and Immanuel Kant. In fact, the researchers have found a remarkable influence of the texts of Upanishads and the other Hindu texts of philosophy related to spirituality and mind.
Its belief system and concepts can be closely linked to Unitarianism which was a significant religious movement that occurred in Boston during the early 19th Century. Researchers suggest that this idea is an American philosophy that originated as the organic outcome or consequence of the Unitarian movement that emphasizes free conscience. It also values intellectualism but the transcendentalists were dissatisfied with the mildness, calm rationalism, and sobriety of Unitarianism. The transcendentalists looked for intense spiritual experience without being attached to the distant possibility of the existence of heaven.
The Transcendental Club
It became a sacred organization resulting in a unified movement that led to the foundation of the Transcendental Club. This club was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On 12th September 1836, the prominent intellects of New England that included George Putnam, the Unitarian minister, Frederic Henry Hedge, and Ralph Waldo Emerson were the founder and prime members of this club. The other prominent members and participants of this Transcendentalist movement were James Freeman Clarke, Orestes Brownson, Amos Bronson Alcott, Theodore Parker, William Henry Channing, Henry David Thoreau, Convers Francis, Christopher Pearse Cranch, Jones Very, and Sylvester Judd.
This club was not restricted to female transcendentalists. The prominent female participants were Margaret Fuller, Sophia Ripley, Ellen Sturgis Hooper, Caroline Sturgis Tappan, and Elizabeth Peabody.
By the end of the 1840s, the second wave of the Transcendentalist movement was witnessed. Emerson thought that the movement was losing its temper after Margaret Fuller died in 1850. The second wave was conducted by the transcendentalists like Octavius Brooks Frothingham, Moncure Conway, Franklin Benjamin Sanborn, and Samuel Longfellow.
All the beliefs of this movement encircled around the inherent power of an individual. It focused on personal freedom first and then got closely linked with the Romantics. The influence of the Indian religions and Hindu texts can be seen in the ideologies of transcendentalism. They inherited the philosophy of Bhagwad Geeta.
In a nutshell, the Transcendental meaning reflects on individualism, personal freedom, divinity, and the inherent goodness existing among all human beings. It also includes the importance of the ecosystem, nature, and every organism existing around us.
FAQs on The Advent of Transcendentalism and its Effect
1. What exactly is Transcendentalism, and when did this movement emerge?
Transcendentalism was a philosophical, literary, and social movement that developed in New England, USA, during the 1820s and 1830s. It emerged as a reaction against the intellectualism of the Enlightenment and the rigid doctrines of established religions. At its core, it champions the idea that individuals and nature are inherently good and that one's intuition is the highest source of knowledge, surpassing sensory experience and established traditions.
2. What are the core beliefs of Transcendentalism?
The core beliefs of Transcendentalism revolve around the individual's relationship with the universe. The main tenets include:
- Individualism and Self-Reliance: An profound belief in the importance of the individual's inner voice and self-trust over external authority or conformity.
- Inherent Goodness: The idea that people and nature are fundamentally good, but are corrupted by society and its institutions.
- The Oversoul: A belief in a universal spirit or soul (the Oversoul) that connects all living things, including humanity, nature, and God.
- Primacy of Intuition: Trusting one's intuition and conscience to find truth, rather than relying solely on logic, scripture, or tradition.
3. Who were the key figures in the Transcendentalist movement?
Several influential writers and thinkers led the Transcendentalist movement. The most prominent figures were:
- Ralph Waldo Emerson: Often considered the father of the movement, his essays like "Self-Reliance" and "Nature" laid out its foundational principles.
- Henry David Thoreau: A devoted practitioner whose book "Walden" is a famous experiment in self-reliant living, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" advocated for non-violent resistance.
- Margaret Fuller: A pioneering journalist, editor, and women's rights advocate whose work championed intellectual freedom for all.
- Walt Whitman: A poet whose work, especially "Leaves of Grass," was deeply influenced by Transcendentalist themes of nature, democracy, and the individual spirit.
4. What were the main effects of Transcendentalism on American society?
The movement had a profound impact that extended beyond literature. Its emphasis on individual conscience and morality inspired many to challenge societal norms, leading to greater involvement in social reform movements such as abolitionism (the anti-slavery movement) and women's suffrage. It also fostered a critique of materialism and the negative effects of the Industrial Revolution, promoting a greater appreciation for nature and simple living. The entire advent of Transcendentalism and its effect helped shape a uniquely American identity.
5. Why is nature so significant in Transcendentalist philosophy?
For Transcendentalists, nature was not merely a backdrop for human activity; it was a sacred space and a direct manifestation of the divine. They believed that by immersing oneself in the natural world, away from the corrupting influence of cities and society, a person could connect directly with the Oversoul. Nature was seen as a source of truth, beauty, and moral guidance, providing a pathway to spiritual enlightenment and a deeper understanding of oneself and the universe.
6. How did Transcendentalism critique institutions like organised religion and government?
Transcendentalists were critical of established institutions because they believed these structures suppressed individual thought and intuition. They argued that organised religion often became a set of rigid, empty rituals that stood between an individual and their direct experience of God. Similarly, they viewed government with suspicion, especially when its laws conflicted with individual conscience. Henry David Thoreau's concept of "Civil Disobedience," for example, argued that a citizen has a moral duty to disobey unjust laws, a principle that later influenced leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.
7. What is the lasting legacy of the Transcendentalist movement in the modern world?
The legacy of Transcendentalism is vast and continues to influence modern thought. Its core ideas are visible in the modern environmental movement, which shares the Transcendentalist reverence for nature. Its emphasis on nonconformity and individualism was a cornerstone of the 1960s counter-culture and continues to inspire those who challenge mainstream norms. Furthermore, the celebration of self-reliance and personal freedom remains a powerful and defining characteristic of the American identity today.
