transcendentalist
Beyond-experience philosopher
A transcendentalist is someone who believes in transcendentalism—the 19th-century American philosophical movement emphasizing intuition, individual conscience, and the inherent goodness of nature and humanity over empirical knowledge and institutional religion.
Emerson and Thoreau were the movement's central figures.
More loosely, a transcendentalist is anyone drawn to mystical or spiritual ideas that go beyond ordinary experience.
Depending on oneself alone
- individualismDoctrine of personal independence
- idealismBelief in noble principles
- intuitionInstinctive immediate understanding
- higher lawMoral principle transcending statutes
simplicity · nature · correspondence · unity · consciousness · perception · truth · reason
Anglo surname, various namesakes
- Thoreau19th-century American naturalist-essayist
- Alcott19th-century American novelist
- ConcordUnity or famous places
- Walden PondMassachusetts pond, simplicity symbol
American Renaissance · abolitionism · civil disobedience · antebellum · reform · utopianism · progressivism · nonconformity
Sacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- mysticismPursuit of divine union
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
- meditationFocused attention practice
intuition · soul · spirit · immanence · pantheism · cosmic consciousness · inner light · higher self
self-reliance
Depending on oneself alone
- individualismDoctrine of personal independence
- idealismBelief in noble principles
- intuitionInstinctive immediate understanding
higher law · simplicity · nature · correspondence · unity · consciousness · perception · truth · reason · solitude
Emerson
Anglo surname, various namesakes
- Thoreau19th-century American naturalist-essayist
- Alcott19th-century American novelist
- ConcordUnity or famous places
Walden Pond · American Renaissance · abolitionism · civil disobedience · antebellum · reform · utopianism · progressivism · nonconformity · Ripley
divinity
Sacred nature or nougat-like sweet
- enlightenmentProfound spiritual awakening
- mysticismPursuit of divine union
- contemplationSustained reflective attention
meditation · intuition · soul · spirit · immanence · pantheism · cosmic consciousness · inner light · higher self · divine spark
- thinkersthinkers, thinker, philosophers, philosopher, Aristotle
- spiritual seekersseeker, seekers, pilgrim, pilgrims, aspirants
- art movementsPop Art, pop art, Impressionism, impressionism, Surrealism
- meditatorsmeditator, zen master, contemplative, yogi, mindfulness coach
transcendentalistempiricist
Knowledge-from-experience advocate
positivist · sensationalist · rationalist · materialist · behaviorist
transcendentalistmaterialist
Values physical over spiritual
naturalist · reductionist · mechanist · atheist · nihilist
transcendentalistpragmatist
One favoring practical approaches
realist · naturalist · utilitarian · conformist · Calvinist