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to transcendentalize

to transcendentalize

9.9
To treat something as a basic thing that must exist before any experience
  • verb
  • /trænˈsɛnˌdɛntəlaɪz/
  • Formal
translation icon : transcendentalizar
  • In her essay, she transcendentalizes perception by focusing on its underlying conditions.

Examples

  • The philosopher tried to transcendentalize the concept of time in his latest book.

  • Philosophers often transcendentalize concepts to explore their fundamental nature.

  • Some critics argue that attempts to transcendentalize art remove it from real-world experience.

  • Can we transcendentalize our understanding of reality?

  • The philosopher tried to transcendentalize the concept of time in his latest book.

  • Some critics argue that attempts to transcendentalize art remove it from real-world experience.

  • In her essay, she transcendentalizes perception by focusing on its underlying conditions.

Surface Forms

transcendentalize infinitive
transcendentalized past participle
transcendentalizing present participle
transcendentalizes third person singular

Morphology

transcendentalize = transcendental (semi-transparent) = transcend + al + ize

The immediate base is the adjective 'transcendental', which carries a specialized philosophical meaning that is not fully predictable from 'transcend' alone.

Etymology

The word transcendentalize comes from trans- 'across' and ascend 'to climb', as in transcend 'go beyond', so it gives the image of 'going beyond' the ordinary. So, in philosophy, to transcendentalize a concept is to treat it as a basic condition for experience, making it a foundation for how we understand things.