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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

The Philosophers' Camp

Concord Massachusetts, despite its simple appearance, is home to some of America’s most famous authors and lovers of nature including Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. I went to school in Concord and ran through the same woods near the same ponds that Emerson and Thoreau loved.  Emerson and Thoreau were transcendentalists and in accordance with transcendentalist philosophy, they believed in the redeeming power of nature.  Emerson brought this philosophy to the Adirondacks.
In 1858 Emerson established a so-called “Philosophers Camp” in the Adirondacks. The purpose of this camp was to develop a new idea about wilderness.  Nine other people went with Emerson to the camp. Along with Emerson brought with him another poet, a pair of doctors, a pair of lawyers, and a few other men.  The men constructed a small cabin and lived in it throughout the summer.
Despite their different backgrounds and views, all of the men came to appreciate nature in their own unique way. One of the members of the trip, discovered a new species of sponge. While the scientists appreciated nature in the way only a scientist could, the others also appreciated their surroundings. Through surviving in the woods, the men all developed a deep appreciate for the beauty and power of a simple life.

The Famous Philosophers’ Camp Painting by William James Stillman, 1858
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/nyregion/19adirondacks.html?_r=0

2 comments:

  1. Nothing is better than great conversation among a diverse group of friends/acquaintances. I want to know more about how each person learned to "appreciate nature in his own unique way." Do the eyes of a lawyer relate differently to nature than a doctor? Does a doctor mainly think about biology?

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  2. The long-term effects of the Philosophers' Camp are so impressive to me. The area they stayed in is now owned by the Nature Conservancy and is ultra-protected. Appreciation for the camp has even made it to Hamilton; the orientation trip I went on was called "Philosophers' Camp in the Adirondacks." On a bit of an unrelated note, I think the Philosophers' Camp would be a super cool premise for a movie, maybe building a plot from questions like what Victoria is asking!

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