1. Transcendentalism 19 th century philosophy born out of Romanticism

2. Transcendentalism was known as the New-England Renaissance. Ralph Waldo Emmerson The Father of Transcendentalism Former Unitarian Minister Taught against the belief of the Trinity. Promoted the search for truth and meaning in the universe. Ironically, recanted his philosophy when others used it as permission for rebellion.

3. Emerson’s Transcendentalism taught..... Most fundamental truths lie outside the experience of the senses The individual is the center of the universe Life is the universal search for truth Enlightenment lies within each individual Every soul and all of nature is part of an “Over-soul” (a universal spirit to which all beings return to after death) Every being is part of the mind of God

4. Transcendentalists believe that man can achieve divinity by communing with and “becoming one” [embracing] nature. Illustration: = god= nature = man Each element is a part of another

5. Emerson wrote several essays and poems which expressed his philosophy.... “Nature” – this essay became the “bible” for followers of transcendentalism “Self-Reliance” - Emerson challenges individuals to avoid conformity and false consistency and instead follow their own instincts and ideas.

6. Henry David Thoreau A devout follower of Emerson and Transcendentalism Studied directly under Emerson Took Emerson’s teachings a step further and attempted to live out the philosophy by squatting on Emerson’s property for over two years – wrote about his experiment in his well-known book Walden. Later strayed from Transcendentalism and became a political activist.

7. The ideas of Transcendentalism still infiltrate today’s societies. We can see transcendental ideology in the following five concepts..... Five Elements of Transcendentalism 1.Free Thought 2.Non-Conformity 3.Self-Confidence 4.Self-Reliance 5.Nature is Divine

8. See if you can identify the transcendental roots in these examples from pop-culture.