What is Transcendentalism?

Transcendentalism is an idealistic philosophy that revolves around the idea that everyone has knowledge and can learn from things that go beyond the senses, as well as that humans, nature, and the divine power are all interconnected. 

The big ideas of this American philosophy were emphasized in the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, as Emerson said "But if a man will be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and vulgar things" (Ralph Waldo Emerson. Nature) This quote, connecting man to nature, emphasizes the idea that god, man, and nature are one and that self reliance and intuition are the key to one's life and knowledge.