Stoicism vs Transcendentalism: two philosophies that recognize the bond between humans and nature and promote individualism as the path towards inner peace. It’s easy to confuse them with each other, since they are both preoccupied with ethical questions and view the meaning of life through a moral lens. There’s more to them than meets the eye, though, as they differ in fundamental ways. 

To uncover their wisdom, we’ll start by taking a bird’s eye view to examine what each philosophy stands for, then expand our knowledge by pitting them against each other to see how their perspectives differ and where they align. 

Ready? Let’s dive in!

Stoicism: the Philosophy of Virtue

Stoicism originated in ancient Greece around the 3rd century B.C. and spread to ancient Rome, where it reached its epitome through the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca. It is a practical philosophy deeply rooted in rationality that places great emphasis on personal ethics and the pursuit of inner tranquility. 

It teaches that regardless of our external circumstances, being morally excellent is always up to us because it depends only on how we adjust our thoughts, actions and responses to outside reality. 

Aside from practicing the 4 virtues of wisdom, courage, justice and temperance, Stoic ethics involves developing the 3 Stoic skills (usually referred to as ‘Stoic disciplines’): perception, action and will.

Stoicism is the source of a few notable philosophical ideas such as Amor Fati - the idea that we should embrace our destiny wholeheartedly, Memento Mori - the practice of reminding ourselves of our mortality and Premeditatio Malorum - a negative visualization exercise that helps build resilience in front of adversity. 

Transcendentalism: the Philosophy of Spiritual Enlightenment

Transcendentalism appeared in the early 19th century as a reaction to rationalism, the philosophical current du jour which pointed to reason and logic as the only reliable ways to access knowledge. 

It owes its development mainly to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Margaret Fuller, who put forward for consideration the fact that humans might be equipped with inherent knowledge about themselves and the world that transcends sensory experience. 

Transcendentalists encourage us to listen to our intuition, cultivate our individuality and honor the spiritual connection we have with nature, as they will lead us to moral understanding. 

They see societal expectations and institutions as inherently flawed and constricting and posit that true fulfillment can only be achieved by opposing these limitations and living authentically. They are especially critical of organized religion and political parties, which they see as a threat to the purity of the individual.

Stoicism and Transcendentalism: Similarities

Now that we have a basic understanding of what each philosophy teaches, let’s look at where their beliefs and values intersect: their view of Nature and their reverence for self-reliance and individual freedom.

Nature as the Link to the Divine

For both Stoics and Transcendentalists, Nature serves as a fundamental point of connection to the divine. 

In Stoicism, it is seen as the divine itself and often referred to as “the Logos” - the natural order of things, which can only be understood through rationality. The Stoic imperative of living in accordance with nature reflects this view and encourages us to accept reality, no matter how it might make us feel in the moment.

Transcendentalists similarly see nature as an embodiment of the divine, since it is a space where the boundaries between the self and the universe become blurred. As such, it is the only space in which the individual can glimpse deeper levels of consciousness and spiritually connect with something greater than themself.

Emphasis on self-reliance

Both Stoicism and Transcendentalism argue that the path towards inner peace necessarily includes the development of self-reliance. In other words, individuals cannot achieve a peaceful state of mind unless they take full responsibility for their lives and realize that meaning and purpose must come from within themselves.

In Stoicism, this comes from the belief that external circumstances are unreliable and thus we should reduce the dependence of our tranquility on them. 

For Transcendentalists, this idea is tied to the premise that human beings possess an inherent wisdom that can serve as a guide for their actions if it is freed from the permanent siege of societal constraints. 

Pursuit of Personal Growth

Closely related to the pursuit of self-reliance is the emphasis that both Stoicism and Transcendentalism place on personal growth. 

For a Stoic, personal growth implies continuously fine-tuning one’s behavior in order to be aligned with the 4 Stoic virtues and practicing self-reflection to close the learning loop of what actions, thoughts and attitudes need to change in order to better pursue this goal. 

For a Transcendentalist, self-betterment involves learning how to listen to one’s intuition, which naturally leads to one’s authenticity prevailing in all situations. This can be achieved by ‘unlearning’ societal norms and immersing oneself in nature, seeking its timeless lessons. 

Stoicism vs. Transcendentalism: Notable Differences

Despite agreeing on a few key elements, Stoicism and Transcendentalism display notable differences when it comes to their treatment of emotions and what they see as the ultimate purpose of human existence.

View of Emotions

Perhaps the most striking difference between Stoicism vs Transcendentalism is the role they assign to naturally-occuring human emotions. 

Stoicism encourages its students to fight the sway of emotions by practicing critical thinking at all times. This does not mean that the philosophy advocates for suppressing emotions - that’s simply a common misconception. It simply invites us to recognize emotions for what they are: fleeting feelings that do not necessarily reveal any objective truth about the world.

In stark contrast, Transcendentalism places great emphasis on exploring one’s emotions, as it believes that they are a direct link to our intuition and thus critical for spiritual growth. They see them as sources of innate wisdom, rather than misleading passions.

Purpose of Existence

Another point of contention between Stoicism vs Transcendentalism is what each philosophy establishes as the ultimate goal of human existence.

For a Stoic, the pursuit of virtue is the chief task in life, with all other human endeavors secondary to it. This does not preclude striving for other goals, as long as this does not negatively impact the cultivation of an excellent moral character.

For a Transcendentalist, the meaning of life is synonymous with the quest for self-discovery and spiritual connection with Nature, which is a process of individual growth and liberation from societal norms. Life cannot be well lived unless one seeks deeper truths and enlightenment.

Conclusion 

I hope this post has helped you gain a richer appreciation of Stoicism and Transcendentalism and their unique contributions to Western culture and that it has prompted you to explore their teachings further. 

Even if you do not fully identify with either of them, this doesn’t have to be a matter of Stoicism vs Transcendentalism, you’re free to pick and choose the ideas that resonate most with you and create your own personal philosophy. 

One thing is for sure - you cannot go wrong if you bet on personal growth. And if either of these philosophies is right, happiness might even follow!

Speaking of personal development - have you ever considered that self-sabotage might be holding you back? Or perhaps you could use a mental model for what motivates you to better understand how to become the best version of yourself?