transcendental

comparative more transcendental · superlative most transcendental

1. Synonym of transcendent (“surpassing usual limits; excelling; extraordinary”).

   All theſe conſiderations hovvever vvere belovv the tranſcendental dignity of the Revolution Society.

   1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 10

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   [T]he Deity himſelf, tho' he perceiveth neither Pleaſure, nor Pain, nor any thing elſe, as vve do: yet muſt needs have a Perfect and Tranſcendental Perception, both of Pleaſure, and Pain, and of all other things.

   1701, Nehemiah Grew, “Of Celestial Mind”, in Cosmologia Sacra: Or A Discourse of the Universe as It is the Creature and Kingdom of God. […], London: […] W[illiam] Rogers, S[amuel] Smith, and B[enjamin] Walford: […], →OCLC, 2nd book, paragraph 33, page 84

   Synonyms: surpassing, transcendent

2. human sciencesIn the philosophy of Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E.): synonym of transcendent (“transcending or extending beyond a single category”); also, synonym of metaphysical (“of or relating to the basic structure of reality”).

   [T]he vviſh for riches; a vviſh indeed prevalent, that it may be conſidered as univerſal and tranſcendental, as the deſire in vvhich all other desires are included, […]

   1751 June 28 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 131. Monday, June 18. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume V, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1751, →OCLC, page 203

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   Thoſe Particles are here ſtiled Tranſcendental, vvhich do circumſtantiate vvords in reſpect of ſome Metaphyſical notion; either by enlarging the acception of them to ſome more general ſignification, then doth belong to the reſtrained ſenſe of their places: or denoting a relation to ſome other Predicament or Genus, under vvhich they are not originally placed.

   1668, John Wilkins, chapter VI, in An Essay Towards a Real Character, and a Philosophical Language, London: […] Sa[muel] Gellibrand, and for John Martyn printer to the Royal Society, →OCLC, 3rd part (Concerning Natural Grammar), page 318

   To be impenetrable, diſcerpible, and unactive, is the nature of all Body and Matter, as ſuch: And the properties of a Spirit are the direct contrary, to be penetrable, indiſcerpible, and ſelf-motive: Yea, ſo different they are in all things, that they ſeem to have nothing but Being, and the Tranſcendental Attributes of that, in common: […]

   1676, Joseph Glanvill, “Essay I. Against Confidence in Philosophy, and Matters of Speculation.”, in Essays on Several Important Subjects in Philosophy and Religion, London: […] J[ohn] D[arby] for John Baker, […], and Henry Mortlock, […], →OCLC, page 3

   The Divine Underſtanding cannot be the fountain of the Truth of things, &c. This ſeems at firſt ſight to be a very harſh Paradox, and againſt the current Doctrine of Metaphyſicians, vvho define Tranſcendental or Metaphyſical Truth to be nothing elſe but the relation of the Conformity of things to the Theoretical (not Practical) Intellect of God; […] And hence they make Tranſcendental Truth to depend on the Intellectual Truth of God, vvhich alone is moſt properly Truth, and indeed the fountain and origine of all Truth.

   1683, Henry More, “Annotations upon the Two Foregoing Treatises, […]. Annotations upon The Discourse of Truth [by George Rust]. […].”, in Two Choice and Useful Treatises: The One Lux Orientalis; or An Enquiry into the Opinion of the Eastern Sages Concerning the Præexistence of Souls. […] The Other, A Discourse of Truth, […], London: […] James Collins and Sam[uel] Lowndes […], →OCLC, page 177

   [T]hey do not aſcend into any Inquiry concerning thoſe Tranſcendental Maxims, vvhich influence all the particular Sciences, each Part vvhereof, Mathematics not excepted, does conſequently participate of the Errors involved in them.

   1710, George Berkeley, “Of the Principles of Human Knowledge”, in A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge. […], Dublin: […] Aaron Rhames, for Jeremy [i.e., Jeremiah] Pepyat, […], →OCLC, § 118, page 169

3. human sciencesIn the philosophy of Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) or similar philosophies: concerned with the a priori or intuitive basis of knowledge, independent of experience.

   The chief mystics in Germany, it would appear, are the Transcendental Philosophers, [Immanuel] Kant, [Johann Gottlieb] Fichte, and [Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph] Schelling!

   1827, Thomas Carlyle, “State of German Literature”, in R[alph] W[aldo] E[merson], editor, Critical and Miscellaneous Essays: […], volume I, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, published 1838, →OCLC, page 80

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   The best way to demonstrate the possibility of something is to show its actuality, for actuality implies possibility. At least since [Immanuel] Kant, transcendental philosophies have been on the scene. However, such simple demonstration of the possibility of transcendental philosophy has not been effective and is not likely to be so – so strong is the presumption that transcendental philosophy just could not be possible, or, if it was possible earlier, it is not possible now.

   1985, J[itendra] N[ath] Mohanty, “Introductory Essay: On the Possibility of Transcendental Philosophy”, in J. N. Mohanty, editor, The Possibility of Transcendental Philosophy (Phaenomenologica; 98), Dordrecht, South Holland: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, →ISBN, page xiii

   Whilst it was once held that transcendental arguments could provide a direct and straightforward refutation of scepticism, this view now seems over-optimistic. It has proved remarkably difficult to formulate a transcendental argument convincingly, that puts us in a position to make some sort of knowledge-claim regarding how things are, and so see off the spectre of widespread error in our view of reality.

   1999, Robert Stern, “On [Immanuel] Kant’s Response to [David] Hume: The Second Analogy as Transcendental Argument”, in Robert Stern, editor, Transcendental Arguments: Problems and Prospects, paperback edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, published 2003, →ISBN, page 47

   Not only does [Martin] Heidegger's early work stand within the framework of transcendental phenomenology as established by [Edmund] Husserl—even though it also contests and revises that framework—but that thinking also stands in a close relationship to the critical philosophy of Immanuel Kant, and specifically to the transcendental project, and modes of argument, of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason.

   2007, Steven Crowell, Jeff Malpas, “Introduction: Transcendental Heidegger”, in Steven Crowell, Jeff Malpas, editors, Transcendental Heidegger, Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, →ISBN, page 1

4. human sciencesIn the philosophy associated with Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882): of or relating to transcendentalism (“a philosophy which stresses intuition and spirituality”).

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   Two literary ladies present their compliments to the mother of the modern Gracchi, and claim her kind introduction, as their talented countrywoman, to the honourable (and distinguished) Elijah Pogram, […] It may be another bond of union between the two L.L.'s [literary ladies] and the mother of the M.G. [modern Gracchi] to observe, that the two L.L.'s are Transcendental.

   1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, “In which the Travellers Move Homeward, and Encounter Some Distinguished Characters upon the Way”, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844, →OCLC, pages 406–407

5. broadlyhuman sciencesBeyond one's ordinary experience; extraordinary.

   This mental materialism makes the value of English transcendental genius; […]

   1856, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Voyage to England”, in English Traits, Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company, →OCLC, page 234

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   [S]ometimes it is even when your anxiety becomes transcendental, that the soul feels herself able to transcend it; that she rises above it, in fiery victory; and borne on new-found wings of victory, moves so calmly, even because so rapidly, so irresistibly.

   1831, Thomas Carlyle, “Romance”, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. […], London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 98

   That bust of Plato had been long used to look down on conviviality of a more transcendental sort, for it had been brought from Lorenzo's villa after his death, when the meetings of the Platonic Academy had been transferred to these gardens.

   1862 July – 1863 August, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “A Supper in the Rucellai Gardens”, in Romola. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1863, →OCLC, book II, page 222

   And now, you who have so long been bound to the most narrow and material views, you who have denied the virtue of transcendental medicine, you who have derided your superiors—behold!

   1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Dr. Lanyon’s Narrative”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, page 104

6. broadlyhuman sciencesExisting in the imagination; abstract, conceptual.

   To such length can transcendental moonshine, cast by some morbidly radiating [Samuel Taylor] Coleridge into the chaos of a fermenting life, act magically there, and produce divulsions and convulsions and diseased developments.

   1851, Thomas Carlyle, “Bonn; Herstmonceux”, in The Life of John Sterling, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, part I, page 126

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   [T]hese sprightly Frenchmen have relished the mystical doctrines mightily; and having watched the Germans, with their sanctified looks, and quaint imitations of the old times, and mysterious transcendental talk, are aping many of their fashions, as well and solemnly as they can; […]

   1840, M. A. Titmarsh [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “Madame [George] Sand and the New Apocalypse”, in The Paris Sketch Book, volume II, London: John Macrone, […], →OCLC, page 103

   If he made transcendental distinctions, he fortified himself by drawing all his illustrations from sources disdained by orators and polite conversers; from mares and puppies; from pitchers and soup-ladles; from cooks and criers; the shops of potters, horse-doctors, butchers, and fishmongers.

   1850, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Plato; or, The Philosopher”, in Representative Men: Seven Lectures, Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson and Company, […], →OCLC, page 58

7. broadlyhuman sciencesMystical, superhuman, supernatural.

   And it chanced that the direction of my scientific studies, which led wholly towards the mystic and the transcendental, rëacted and shed a strong light on this consciousness of the perennial war among my members.

   1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Henry Jekyll’s Full Statement of the Case”, in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC, pages 107–108

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   Everard pursued his investigation; for he was struck with the manner in which Harrison evaded his questions, and the dexterity with which he threw his transcendental and fanatical notions, like a sort of veil, over the darker visions excited by remorse and conscious guilt.

   1826, [Walter Scott], chapter II, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC, pages 52–53

   Synonyms: superrational

8. field theoryalgebraOf an element of an extension field: not algebraic, that is, not the root of any polynomial that has positive degree and rational coefficients; also, of an extension field: that contains elements which are not algebraic.

   Suppose that Flt;E is purely transcendental. Show that any simple extension of F contained in E (but not equal to F) is transcendental over F.

   2006, Steven Roman, “Algebraic Independence”, in Field Theory (Graduate Texts in Mathematics; 158), 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Springer, →ISBN, part I (Field Extensions), page 108

   Antonyms: algebraic

9. mathematicsOf a function or number: not algebraic.

   The numbers e and #92;pi are transcendental—written as decimals, the numbers after the decimal point continue infinitely and do not enter a permanently repeating pattern.

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   Tranſcendental Curves, (in Mathem[atics]) are ſuch Curves, as vvhen their Nature or Property comes to be expreſs'd by an Equation, one of the variable or flovving Quantities there, denotes a Curve or crooked Line; and vvhen ſuch Curve Line is a Geometrick one, or one of the firſt Degree or Kind, then the Tranſcendental Curve is ſaid To be of the Second Degree or Kind, &c.

   1706, Edward Phillips, compiler, J[ohn] K[ersey the younger], “Transcendental Curves”, in The New World of Words: Or, Universal English Dictionary. […], 6th edition, London: […] J. Phillips, […]; N. Rhodes, […]; and J. Taylor, […], →OCLC, signature [Lllll3], recto, column 2

   The theory of transcendental numbers was originated by [Joseph] Liouville in his famous memoir of 1844 in which he obtained, for the first time, a class, très-étendue, as it was described in the title of the paper, of numbers that satisfy no algebraic equation with integer coefficients.

   1975, Alan Baker, “The Origins”, in Transcendental Number Theory, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 1

   If the distribution of decimal digits of #92;pi (or any other transcendental number) is truly random (suspected but not yet mathematically proven!), given any arbitrary finite sequence of whole numbers, that sequence would be included an infinite number of times in the decimal expansion of #92;pi. This means that if we were to encode [William] Shakespeare's works, the Bible, this very book, or the entire written description of the Universe in some numerical code, we would find the corresponding (long but still finite) string included in #92;pi! The problem, of course, would be to find out where it is hiding (there is no rule for that)!

   2005, J[uan] G[ualterio] Roederer, “Elements of Classical Information Theory”, in Information and Its Role in Nature (The Frontiers Collection), Berlin; Heidelberg, Baden-Württemburg: Springer-Verlag, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 28

   Antonyms: algebraic

plural transcendentals

1. A thing which is transcendental (all adjective senses).

   The transcendental is a key notion in [Martin] Heidegger's thought. […] [This collection of essays] makes a case for the continuing significance of the transcendental in philosophy more broadly.

   2007, Steven Crowell, Jeff Malpas, “Introduction: Transcendental Heidegger”, in Steven Crowell, Jeff Malpas, editors, Transcendental Heidegger, Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, →ISBN, page 1

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   The Learning of this People is very defective, conſiſting only in Morality, Hiſtory, Poetry, and Mathematicks, vvherein they muſt be allovved to excel. […] And as to Ideas, Entities, Abſtraction and Tranſcendentals, I could never drive the leaſt Conception into their Heads.

   1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Love of His Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), pages 276–277

   1. Christianin pluralmetaphysics; philosophy (specifically Platonism); metaphysics; philosophy (specifically Platonism)lifestyleAny one of the transcendental properties of being, especially beauty, goodness, and truth—which are respectively the ideals of art, religion, and science, and thus the principal subjects of the study of aesthetics, ethics, and logic.

      The medieval doctrine of the transcendentals is closely connected with a metaphysical conception of reality, but is there a science of being in William of Ockham (ca. 1285-1347)?

      2012, Jan A[drianus] Aertsen, “The Doctrine of the Transcendentals in Nominalism”, in Medieval Philosophy as Transcendental Thought: From Philip the Chancellor (ca. 1225) to Francisco Suárez, Leiden, South Holland; Boston, Mass.: Brill, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 515

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      In another sense, God is the creator of a world that might have some transcendental properties common to all things, for instance as expressed in the theory of determinateness. […] In deference to Christian usage we can say that the transcendentals constitute the Logos within which everything has its being and according to which everything is made.

      2002, Robert C[ummings] Neville, “The Symbols of Divine Action”, in Religion in Late Modernity, Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York Press, →ISBN, page 72

      These predicates of Being are what the Medievals called, using a term that will have a fertile future, "transcendentals" (often called the "universals") because they transcend all particular genera, following the example of Being. A quarrel over these transcendentals even shook the later Middle Ages. The quarrel stemmed from the question of whether the existence of these transcendentals was real or intellectual (also called nominal).

      2012, Jean Grondin, “Metaphysics and Theology in the Middle Ages”, in Lukas Soderstrom, transl., Introduction to Metaphysics: From Parmenides to Levinas (Studien und Texte zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters [Studies and Texts on the Intellectual History of the Middle Ages]; 107), New York, N.Y.; Chichester, West Sussex: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 105

      Another fascinating thing about the transcendentals is that each is fully contained in the others. When you appreciate beauty, for example, you recognise the presence of goodness and truth. When you grasp the truth about something you experience a moment of beauty in, perhaps, the simplicity or power of the insight. When you observe goodness in the actions of another person you are seeing truth and beauty in operation.

      2015, Anthony Howard, “In Search of Beauty, Goodness and Truth”, in Humanise: Why Human-centred Leadership is the Key to the 21st Century, Milton, Qld.: John Wiley & Sons Australia, →ISBN, part II (Foundations for Human-centred Leaders), page 70

   2. mathematicsAn element of an extension field, an extension field, a function, or a number which is not algebraic.
2. obsoleteSynonym of transcendentalist (“one who believes in transcendentalism; a philosopher who asserts that true knowledge is obtained by faculties of the mind that transcend sensory experience”).

   Synonyms: transcendentalist