After thinking more on my idea, I decided to go further and work with "Nature can be used as a vehicle to understand or discover one's relationship with God." Emerson's "Spirit" chapter 7 in Nature is a means for one to understand their faith.
After thinking more on my idea, I decided to go further and work with "Nature can be used as a vehicle to understand or discover one's relationship with God." Emerson's "Spirit" chapter 7 in Nature is a means for one to understand their faith.
Okay, glad to see the further development. Remember, though, just as we can't use country-western songs to learn anything useful about raising cattle, and we can't use The Scarlet Letter to learn anything about historical puritans, can we use Emerson's book to make a claim about nature? We can of course interpret what Emerson says about nature, and there is plenty of evidence in the book that Emerson sees Nature as a vehicle for understanding the mind of God. What would be the "con" argument, though? That nature holds no spiritual value? Does Emerson see Nature as a tool to support faith, or something in which we should place faith? (Could that be a useful source of debate within your paper?) I think your idea will continue to develop as you look for evidence within the book. Good thinking, Valerie. I think this will turn out good.
Further thinking on the "con" argument:
Can Emerson's use of Nature as a vehicle for understanding God provide a roadblock for those who do adhere to Christianity?