Unit 12 Nineteenth Century to 1865 and American transcendentalism Note: Nineteenth Century American Transcendentalism is not a religion (in the traditional sense of the word); it is a pragmatic philosophy, a state of mind and a form of spirituality. It is not a religion because it does not adhere to the three concepts common in major religions: aa belief in a God b. a belief in an afterlife(dualism)i and C. a belief that this life has consequences on the next (if you're good in this life, you go to heaven in the next, etc.). Transcendentalism is monist, it does not reject an afterlife but its emphasis is on this life
Unit 12 Nineteenth Century to 1865 and American Transcendentalism ◼ Note: Nineteenth Century American Transcendentalism is not a religion (in the traditional sense of the word); it is a pragmatic philosophy, a state of mind, and a form of spirituality. It is not a religion because it does not adhere to the three concepts common in major religions: a. a belief in a God; b. a belief in an afterlife (dualism); and c. a belief that this life has consequences on the next (if you're good in this life, you go to heaven in the next, etc.). Transcendentalism is monist; it does not reject an afterlife, but its emphasis is on this life
Central Points of Agreement. NOTE: The Transcendentalists. in keeping with the individualistic nature of this philosophy disagreed readily with each other. Here are four points of general agreement
Central Points of Agreement: ◼ NOTE : The Transcendentalists, in keeping with the individualistic nature of this philosophy, disagreed readily with each other. Here are four points of general agreement:
■ Basic Assumption The intuitive faculty instead of the ational or sensical became the means for a conscious union of the individual psyche (known in Sanskrit as Atman) with the world psyche also known as the Oversoul, life-force, prime mover and god ( known in Sanskrit as Brahma)
◼ Basic Assumption: ◼ The intuitive faculty, instead of the rational or sensical, became the means for a conscious union of the individual psyche (known in Sanskrit as Atman) with the world psyche also known as the Oversoul, life-force, prime mover and God (known in Sanskrit as Brahma)
Basic premises: 1. An individual is the spiritual center of the universe- and in an individual can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself. It is not a rejection of the existence of God but a preference to explain an individual and the world in terms of an individual 2 The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure of the individual self -all knowledge, therefore, begins with self-knowledge. This is similar to Aristotle's dictum know thyself
Basic Premises: ◼ 1. An individual is the spiritual center of the universe - and in an individual can be found the clue to nature, history and, ultimately, the cosmos itself. It is not a rejection of the existence of God, but a preference to explain an individual and the world in terms of an individual. ◼ 2. The structure of the universe literally duplicates the structure of the individual self - all knowledge, therefore, begins with self-knowledge. This is similar to Aristotle's dictum "know thyself
a 3. Transcendentalists accepted the neo-Platonic conception of nature as a living mystery full of signs nature is symbolic 4 The belief that individual virtue and happiness depend upon self realization -this depends upon the reconciliation of two universa psychological tendencies
◼ 3. Transcendentalists accepted the neo-Platonic conception of nature as a living mystery, full of signs - nature is symbolic. ◼ 4. The belief that individual virtue and happiness depend upon selfrealization - this depends upon the reconciliation of two universal psychological tendencies: