Transcendentalism Argument By Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transcendentalism Argument According to Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. This outlook starkly juxtaposes the transcendental view expressed by Ralph Waldo Emerson, that “A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages”. The root of this issue is deducing which of them is correct. However, this is proves to be no problem at all, when the facts concerning Emerson’s education, the reality of his example figures, and the history of education, are consulted. Emerson denies the value of education, yet he himself underwent vast amounts of it, in fact so much so, that one can …show more content…
The first of these three example men is Moses, however he was well educated, despite that he lived so long ago. The bible says “So Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a man with power both in his speech and in his actions”. This proves that even Moses had education, and was not simply relying on his own thoughts, like Emerson assumed.
Emerson’s next example was Plato, a great philosopher, yet he too relied on the ideas of others through the influence of education. According to the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Though influenced primarily by Socrates, to the extent that Socrates is usually the main character in many of Plato's writings, he [Plato] was also influenced by Heraclitus, Parmenides, and the Pythagoreans”. Arguably one of the greatest thinkers of his own, and of all time, even Plato relied on ideas and influences from multiple other …show more content…
People might say that education does not contribute to intelligent people’s achievements. This is wrong for several reasons, and can be soundly disproven. Primarily, Emerson gave speeches, and he was extremely proficient at it. This might seem like a natural talent, until one considers that Harvard university is one of the most renowned debate and speaking institutes. In addition, in order to give speeches and write essays, as Emerson frequently did, the author must be skilled with words and thinking. Harvard also is recognized as a wonderful place to cultivate these skills. So while it is possible Emerson learned nothing at Harvard and was simply a genius, the odds are largely in favor of the opinion that he did benefit from his education.
In conclusion, Ralph Waldo Emerson has doubtlessly faulty views on education. It has been clearly shown that his ideas about original ideas and skills, are wrong. Emerson was truly mistaken in these ideas. His own education and the education of his example figures disprove his own claim. Despite Emerson’s mental prowess and popular recognition, he has been proven irrefutably incorrect. Mandela was completely right when he claimed that education is a world changing weapon, little did Emerson realize that he could be proof of Mandela’s