Transcript Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Nature” and “Self
Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“
Nature
”
and
“
Self-Reliance
”
God is always near He reveals Himself everywhere and at all times in nature.
In His presence we feel real delight in spite of sorrow.
Nature gives us better,
“
higher
”
emotions
.
thoughts and “In the woods, is perpetual youth” (Nature).
Every person should place full trust in himself or herself (Self-Reliance).
Never conform (one of the main issues with society)
The Transcendental View
The physical facts of the natural world are a doorway to the spiritual or ideal world (simply SEEING something and appreciating it is not enough…we must FEEL it).
“transparent eyeball” People can use their intuition to behold
God
’
s spirit revealed in nature or in their own souls.
The Transcendental View, continued…
Self- reliance and individualism must outweigh external authority and blind conformity to custom and tradition.
Spontaneous feelings and intuition are superior to deliberate intellectualism and rationality.