This is a response to Mohammed Uddin’s post, Emerson’s Views.

Emerson spends two paragraphs talking about the influence of nature on teaching a scholar.

I can see how Emerson’s evaluation on nature mirror Rousseau’s. Rousseau believes that a child should follow the natural pattern of learning. Emerson considers nature one of the most influential forms of teaching.

In addition, I also find the connection between Emerson and Locke like you mentioned. Emerson says “Every day, men and women, conversing, beholding and beholden. The scholar is he of all men whom this spectacle most engages” (par. 8). The role nature plays here is the same as Locke’s concept that all ideas come from sensation and reflection.

Emerson continues, “But what is classification but the perceiving that these objects are not chaotic, and are not foreign, but have a law which is also a law of the human mind?” (par.8). He views that human mind is the opposite of chaotic, infinite and foreign. Instead, we analyze facts and classify them into categories to see similarities and differences. I find this resonates with Descartes’ theory of deductive reasoning. Descartes believes that “by commencing with objects the simplest and easiest to know, I might ascend by little and little, and, as it were, step by step, to the knowledge of the more complex;” (pt.2, par.9). He suggests that knowledge is built on a simple and sturdy foundation.