“Nature” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Introduction What does Emerson claim about the age that he lives in? Use at least one quote to help explain your thoughts. Explain how Emerson sees the universe and man’s place in the universe. Use at least one quote to help explain your thoughts. “Every man’s condition is a solution in hieroglyphic to those inquiries he would put”

I. Nature How does Emerson view the role of nature in the world? How should nature affect man? Use at least one quote to help explain your thoughts. Look at the quote on 592: Emerson says that he “become[s] a transparent eyeball.” What the heck does he mean by that?? How is that related to the experience of nature?? transparent eyeball: epitome of transcendentalism!

IV. Language What is the purpose of language, according to Emerson? Helps us study all things in relation to ourselves Things are metaphors: we are a metaphor to the world Helps us see similarities between ourselves and the world Helps us see to the truth of things, so that the world becomes an open book

VII. Spirit What is Emerson’s understanding of “spirit”? How does it affect nature/ inform the actions of humans? Why can’t we fully understand this “spirit”? Emerson addresses three questions: First, what is the matter out of which nature is made? In answering this question, he finds that according to the philosophy of idealism, matter is a phenomenon and not a substance. Nature is something experienced, something distinctly different from ourselves. And yet, given his earlier statements concerning our foisting onto nature what we want it to be, Emerson admits that nature is permeated by the human emotions we accord it. Ironically, this conclusion means that nature as a thing in itself ultimately remains alien to us. Addressing the next two questions — Where did the matter that is nature come from? Toward what end did it come? — Emerson asserts that nature's animating spirit expresses itself through us. The highest truth is that a universal essence is present in each and every object, including humans. This essence — or spirit — is the life force responsible for the continuous creation going on all around us: It creates the unity and indivisibility of nature, spirit, and humanity. But readers will recall Emerson's warning in the introduction, "We are now so far from the road to truth." The imbalance that alienates us from nature is what he is trying to make us aware of. -nature is an inferior reincarnation of God -when we go away from nature, we go away from God

VIII. Prospects How should we study nature? What does Emerson say is the best path to understand nature? Use at least one quote to explain your answer. What is wrong with the way that man views the world (in Emerson’s time and opinion)? What happened that caused this fall of grace? How can man better himself? Use at least one quote to explain your answer. The essay's final chapter opens with reflections on how to study nature. According to Emerson, intuition is more preferable in trying to understand nature than are the calculated measurements of science and geology. Empirical science, based on detailed observation, studies individual objects, but it fails to place them back into their natural surroundings. In other words, empirical science views an object only in its singularity rather than as a piece of a larger whole. Note that Emerson promotes "untaught sallies of the spirit" as the best way for us to learn about our world, a process that depends more on Reason (intuition) than on Understanding (mere observation), although we must first understand before we can reason. His greatest complaint is that we gain a limited knowledge of nature because we too readily mistake Understanding for Reason.

A Challenge! Now you have seen one tract of how to be a Transcendentalist, create your own definition of what Transcendentalism is. What do Transcendentalists believe? What do they do? What do they hold dear?