nature 爱默生 超验主义.doc

Nature Emerson’s first published work was Nature (1836), which contains the gist of his transcendental attitude towards the phenomenal world, as a kind of beautiful symbol of the inner spiritual life, floating dreamlike before the eye, yet, it is to be noted, having discipline as one of its lessons for the attentive soul. As soon as it was published, it met with a mild reception. This work has the clearest statement of Transcendentalist ideas. In it Emerson stated that man should not see nature merely as something to be used; that man’s relationship with nature transcends the idea of usefulness. Nature is a kind of discipline to man. Once you are in nature, totally in solitude, you feel you’re nothing, but you see all. Nature makes people feel transparent and humble. Meanwhile, He saw an important difference between understanding (judging things only according to the senses) and reason. Transcendentalism, essentially, is a form of idealism. The transcendentalist “transcends” or rises above the lower animalistic impulses of life (animal drives) and moves from the rational to a spiritual realm. The human soul is part of the Oversoul or universal spirit to which it and other souls return at death. Therefore, every individual is to be respected because everyone has a portion of that Oversoul (God). This Oversoul or Life Force or God can be found everywhere -- travel to holy places is, therefore, not necessary.