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Question: What is the antithesis of transcendentalism!?
Im just curious for a word that describes the someone like that!. thank you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
"Transcendentalism" has varying definitions and meanings; hence, there is no one "antithesis!."

Even taking the New England early 19th century group as defining "transcendentalism," one cannot find much agreement!.

The basic denominator there is an approach to truth based on one's own reasoned, even intuitive, sense of reality!. Basically this reduces to "think for yourself, and evaluate what others claim, about truths!."

Hence, the antithesis is the "unexamined life"--an uncritical acceptance of current scientism, dogma, tradition, "whatever," etc!.

"A Philosophy of Universality," Aivanhov!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Transcendentalism is all about surpassing your mental barriers, right!? So the antithesis would be something that kept you all squared away in a mental box, one that you willingly put yourself into!.

Hmmm, religion!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Do you mean Kant's transcendentalism!? If so, Hume and other sceptical empiricists, or even Nietzsche's preference of irrationality over rationality, would be an antithesis!.

So, an anti-transcendental person would be a sceptical Nietzschean empiricist!. What a mouthful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Pragmatism!.Www@QuestionHome@Com