The American Scholar By Ralph Waldo Emmerson - 2349 Words

Transcendentalism 1. Stress placed on intuition, not logic: â€Å"The American Scholar† by Ralph Waldo Emmerson â€Å"In the right state he is man thinking,† states Ralph Waldo Emmerson. This view of intuition is expounded upon in his paper â€Å"The American Scholar.† He talks about the division of man into men, but he also discusses the collection of all men into one Man. Viewing a man as someone who does not fit into a single category, such as a farmer, office worker, or lawyer, but as a completely prepared individual being, he understands that something is wrong with society’s view of the individual. Stated in his paper, an idea about society’s role in the alteration of Man’s destiny is discussed. Emmerson believes that society has divided Man so that individuals are broken from their human form. Likening it to separating parts of the body, he states that this kind of â€Å"new† man is like a lone body part, incomplete without the rest of the body . He says, â€Å"The state of society is one in which the members have suffered amputation from the trunk, and strut about so many walking monsters - a good finger, a neck, a stomach, and elbow, but never a man.† In his essay, he summarizes his view of the state of humanity. Additionally, he stresses the importance of intuition, not logic. Intuition, he believes, can transcend man into the being he was supposed to be. Without the subdivision placed by society, be believes that all people will be able to contribute on a greater and much moreShow MoreRelatedJohn De Crevecoeur And Ralph Waldo Emerson909 Words   |  4 PagesCritical Response 1 Nature and wilderness were very important ideas, to some extent, for St. John de Crevecoeur and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Each had their own opinions and ideas that contrasted against each other and were somewhat similar to each other; Emerson valued nature greatly, whether it be from looking at it as something to be proud of, to using nature as an example in his work, such as how we are a part of it and how random it can be. Crevecoeur believed that every land has its own form of