Definition

1. Noun:
   • A philosophical movement: Transcendentalism is a philosophical and literary movement that emphasizes the inherent goodness of people and nature, and asserts that the most fundamental truths lie beyond human sensory experience or empirical evidence. It values intuition, spirituality, and individual conscience over established doctrine and material observation.
   • A system of thought: More broadly, it refers to any philosophical system that prioritizes the intuitive, spiritual, or supernatural over the empirical and material.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson are central to American Transcendentalism.
  • Her belief in a universal spirit connecting all living things reflects the core of transcendentalism.
  • The philosopher criticized transcendentalism for its rejection of scientific empiricism.

Advanced Usage

• "Transcendentalist" as an adjective: Describing ideas, works, or people associated with this movement.
  • The essay explores transcendentalist themes of self-reliance and nature.
• In academic contexts, "transcendentalism" is often capitalized ("Transcendentalism") when referring specifically to the 19th-century American movement.

Variants and Related Words

• Transcendental (adj): Relating to a spiritual or non-physical realm; in philosophy, often describing knowledge or experience that is independent of sensory input.
  • He sought a transcendental experience through meditation.
• Transcendentalist (n): A proponent or follower of transcendentalism.
  • Thoreau was a famous transcendentalist who lived at Walden Pond.
• Transcend (v): To go beyond the limits of ordinary experience. (Note: This is the root verb from which "transcendentalism" is derived, but it is a distinct word).
  • Her kindness seemed to transcend cultural barriers.

Synonyms

• Idealism: (in philosophy) The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially unrealistically. Also, any of various systems of thought in which the objects of knowledge are held to be in some way dependent on the activity of mind.
• Spiritualism: A system of belief or religious practice based on supposed communication with the spirits of the dead. Also, the doctrine that the spirit exists as distinct from matter.
• Intuitionism: (in philosophy) The theory that primary truths and principles (especially those of ethics and metaphysics) are known directly by intuition.

Antonyms

• Empiricism: The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience and observation.
• Materialism: The doctrine that nothing exists except matter and its movements and modifications; a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.
• Rationalism: The practice or principle of basing opinions and actions on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response.

Noun

1. any system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical and material