Intuition in Transcendentalism
The Transcendentalists believed that folks can understand truth through intuition. That is, we don't arrive at truth by donning a lab coat, putting on goggles, and conducting an experiment in a lab. Well OK, maybe we can arrive at some (scientific) truths that way, but that's not what the Transcendentalists were out for. They believed that there's a whole realm of experience that is beyond logical or rational deduction. And we're not just talking The Twilight Zone.
According to the Transcendentalists, the only way to access that realm of experience and knowledge is to trust in our intuition. Our inner voice. Our gut. We may not have any proof that God exists, for example, but we may feel that He, or She, or They, or We, does (/do).
So hey, why not believe? And as a bonus, we might even end up in Heaven. Or at least see some pretty waterfalls on the way.
Chew on This
In "Self-Reliance" Ralph Waldo Emerson tells us to trust our own instincts and thoughts. If you don't believe us, see the awe-inspiring quote #4 right up here.
In "Walden," Henry David Thoreau challenges us to question "common sense" and find a deeper, more intuitive sense of knowledge. See what he's got to say right here.