EMMERSON

Nature and Today
Ralf Waldo Emerson, was born in Boston, and was the son of William Emerson, a minister of the First Church (Unitarian) of Boston, an American essayist and poet, and a leader of the philosophical movement of transcendentalism. Emerson was influenced by English romanticism, Neoplatonism, and Hinduism. Emerson is noted today for his skill in presenting his thoughts and beliefs eloquently and in poetic language. Nature is regarded today as Emerson’s most significant work, offering the essence of his philosophy of transcendentalism, the belief that regards the processes of reasoning as the key to the knowledge of reality. This idealist work opposed the popular Calvinist and materialist views of life at that time, while voicing a plea for freedom of the individual from artificial restraints. In many ways, Emerson’s thoughts have influenced the traditions and the everyday life of today’s society. The following explains the conflicts between Christia...