Live the Emerson Questions

The following is for Dr. Powers (as he shared that he enjoys questions) but is not to be mistaken as exclusive, as it is inclusive to all who enjoy living the questions (specifically Emerson questions).

My stream of conscious thoughts while sitting in Literary Criticism class discussing Emerson’s, The Poet:

In regards to the transcendental, I’m not even sure, does this mean that everything has a substance and an accidence? This based largely upon that which I can recall from the studying the Aristotle worldview in a theology class. Dr. Powers says transcendentalism is a form of philosophical idealism. He explains it by saying that the things experienced in the world are merely reflections of the spiritual world that is more real. Ok, I remember from theology class, this concept of the “chairness” of a chair (go figure) as being an eternal essence, that unseen. It is the substance of the chair. If I recall correctly the accidence would be that which we see in the temporal world. I learned this all in relation to transubstantiation though, so I am not even sure if it applies. So in example, in transubstantiation it is the substance that changes while the accidence stays the same. Ok, so what Emerson is alluding to is this idea that we are connected to everything, though we can only see in part. So this leads me to materialism. Would Emerson hold to a material salvation? If so, then perhaps I am on to something. He would hold that the kingdom of God begins on earth and therefore might equate the poet as a representative of Jesus, one who does the work of Christ. Though I honestly wouldn’t bank on the idea that Emerson holds to a systematic theology, I think this is simply my attempt to systemize that which I pull from this single work (that could be dangerous). Wait…Emerson is Unitarian right?