Spiritual Intuition vs. Factual Knowledge

As a transcendentalist, Emerson prioritizes spiritual intuition over factual knowledge. He believes that laws are rooted in people's shared desire for an attainable sense of morals and intelligence.

He emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, suggesting that individuals can see parts of themselves in other people, objects, and events from the past. People's daily relationship with nature, he argues, is their most genuine link to the past, as all individuals have become spiritually united with the natural world over time.