Transcendental humanism
Transcendental Humanism in philosophy considers humans as simultaneously the originator of meaning, and subject to a larger ultimate truth that exists beyond the human realm (transcendence). The philosophy suggests that the humanistic approach is guided by “accuracy, truth, discovery, and objectivity” that transcends or exists apart from subjectivity. The term is associated predominantly with the work of philosopher Immanuel Kant and his theory Kant's Copernican. However, the theory is both heavily influenced by and reflected in the work of other well-known theorists, including Rousseau, Emerson, and Husserl Transcendental humanism can be largely traced back to Continental Rationalism and British Empiricism in the 17th and 18th centuries. This formed the basis of philosophical thought that inspired transcendental humanist thinking through the amalgamation of logical rationalism and psychological empiricism. Kant's theory of transcendental humanism has been subject to criticism by academics for its paradoxical position that has caused misinterpretation of the theory. In the world of academia, critiques have engaged in profound discussion and debate around the meaning, relevance and historical context of the philosophical theory. The ample discussion surrounding the topic branches from the broad nature of the theory that responds to the nature and origin of knowledge and the human cognition. Background & Key Ideas Transcendental Humanism is a cross-section of both humanist and transcendental philosophies. Humanism is a philosophy founded in a rationalist outlook that emphasises human agency as opposed to that of the divine. It recognises the centrality of moral values in human nature and experience. Thus, humans are believed to have the freedom to give meaning though independent thought and inquiry. The word transcendental describes that which lies beyond the limitations of physical experience and knowledge. In philosophy, transcendence refers to an understanding of the mind's innate ability to process sensory evidence, employed as a theoretical perspective to define the structures of being as a framework to analyse the emergence and validation of knowledge. According to Kantian philosophy, transcendental philosophy is defined a priori. Dating back to Ancient Philosophy and the Hellenistic Period, coined by Plato and Aristotle, a priori is a Latin phrase used in philosophy to describe knowledge that exists in the mind prior to and independent of experience. It exists as a faculty or character trait, independent of observation or experimentation. As such, transcendental humanism implies that humans are both of the creators of and receptors of meaning. Historically, the philosophy is thought to reconcile the transcendental positioning of Continental Rationalism and the humanistic approach of British Empiricism. Continental Rationalism was established by René Descartes and covered the 17th and 18th century. It is based on the thesis that humans can be the source of all knowledge. British Empiricism was also founded in the 17th and 18th century and proposed that all knowledge is gained though experience and thus all knowledge, with the exception of mathematics, empirical. Influential Theorists & Philosophers Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778) Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was a Swiss writer and philosopher. He is commonly recognised for his book The Social