In his essay “Nature”, Ralph Waldo Emerson proposed a philosophy based on the essential goodness of both man and the Earth. He believed that each individual had a responsibility to respect the environment and care for all living beings. His ideal society was based on the principle of independence, but it did not reject external authority, nor did it advocate anarchy. Instead, it encouraged men and women to discover what was true for them individually and collectively and to build their lives around these truths. He regarded religion as a personal matter but saw Christianity as the best expression of the spiritual insights of humanity. His followers included Henry David Thoreau who wrote about the beauty of simplicity and the need to care for the Earth. He also advocated an “anti-institutional” lifestyle, rejecting government interference in private affairs. He became an example of the American transcendentalists, a loose collection of writers and thinkers inspired by the ideals of Emerson. One of the most famous members of this movement was Walt Whitman, whose poetry celebrated the beauties of the natural world and urged Americans to embrace democracy.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
