1. Transcendentalist
View of the World

2. Trends in Society The Lyceum Movement 1. Educated Adults
2. Trained teachers
3. Established Museums
4. Instituted Social Reform

3. Social Issues of Concern
1. Public Education
2. Condition of Mental Institutions
3. Ending of Slavery
4. Increase in Women’s Rights

4. Utopian Projects
1. Goal of Utopian Projects was to create a more perfect society.
2. Ralph Waldo Emerson is the name of a man who is a member of one of the most influential utopian groups call The Transcendentalist Club.

5. The Transcendentalist Club
Meaning of life was wrapped up in these 3 things:
1. God
2. the Universe
3. the Self

6. Transcendentalist Beliefs
In determining the meaning of life one had to transcend, or go beyond everyday human experience in the physical world.
They were considered Idealists because they believed human perfectibility was possible, and they worked to achieve it.
A. Believed God revealed himself to people through the Bible and the physical world.

7. Transcendentalist Beliefs
B. Saw Nature as the doorway to the spiritual and ideal world.
C. Believed humans can see evidence of God in nature or in their own souls.
D. Think that self-reliance and individualism outweigh external authority and blind conformity to customs and traditions.
E. See spontaneous feelings and intuition as being superior to intellectualism and rationality.

8. Emerson’s Optimistic Outlook
Believed you could find God through NATURE.
Believed that all people are part of the Divine Soul.
He argued we must rely on ourselves to know God directly and to discover the meaning of life.