Transcendental humanism

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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).^[1] The philosophy suggests that the humanistic approach is guided by "accuracy, truth, discovery, and objectivity"^[1] 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^[2]

Transcendental humanism can be largely traced back to Continental rationalism and British Empiricism^[3][4] 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.^[4][5]

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.