B Fuller { 1895 - 1982 } Transcendentalist?

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..." Like the transcendentalists, Fuller rejected the established religious and political notions of the past and adhered to an idealistic system of thought based on the essential unity of the natural world and the use of experiment and intuition as a means of understanding it. But, departing from the pattern of his New England predecessors, he proposed that only an understanding of technology in the deepest sense would afford humans a proper guide to individual conduct and the eventual salvation of society. Industrial and scientific technology, despite their disruption of established habits and values, was not a blight on the landscape, but in fact for Fuller they have a redeeming humanitarian role. "...

Fuller never used the word ' spirit ' in any of his books that Im aware of.

..." Transcendentalism is a philosophy started in the early 19th century that promotes intuitive, spiritual thinking instead of scientific thinking based on material things.
Transcendentalism comes from the Latin word transcendere, which means to "climb over or beyond." Founders of the American transcendentalism movement were indeed trying to "climb beyond" traditional empirical thinking, favoring instead a person's intuition and natural spirituality. Ralph Waldo Emerson, a famous transcendentalist, summed up the beliefs of transcendentalism when he said, "What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ..

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@ebuc
..." Transcendentalism is a philosophy started in the early 19th century that promotes intuitive, spiritual thinking instead of scientific thinking based on material things.
Transcendentalism comes from the Latin word transcendere, which means to "climb over or beyond." 
One should use both science and fantasy. Fantasy improves creativity, which helps science.
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@Best.Korea
..." Transcendentalism is a philosophy started in the early 19th century that promotes intuitive, spiritual thinking instead of scientific thinking based on material things.
Transcendentalism comes from the Latin word transcendere, which means to "climb over or beyond." 
One should use both science and fantasy. Fantasy improves creativity, which helps science

In the nineteenth century, Hindu texts and ideas also became an active part of the intellectual life of New England’s most famous literary figures, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. As early as the 1820s Emerson wrote of India in his journals. By the 1830s he had copies of Hindu sacred texts—the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Laws of Manu. He was especially attracted to the teachings of the Upanishads and the Vedanta, which speak of the unity of spirit linking the human soul and the Transcendent, the “unbounded, unboundable empire.” Emerson and his circle came to be called Transcendentalists, because of their emphasis on this transcendent oneness of spirit. By the 1840s, Emerson began to publish excerpts from what he called the “Ethnical Scriptures” in the transcendentalist journal, The Dial.

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@ebuc
Fuller never used the word ' spirit ' in any of his books that Im aware of.
Buckminster Fuller was a Unitarian minister. and he wrote a lot about spirit and spirituality:

In 1927 he was contemplating suicide on the shore of Lake Michigan when he had a transforming vision that is best described as spiritual, it caused him to dedicate his life to the betterment of mankind.

The Center for Spirituality and Sustainability at Southern Illinois University embodies Fuller's philosophy and is housed in a Fuller Dome.

Try reading his book, No More Secondhand God: And Other Writings -- by R. Buckminster fuller
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Hinduism
In the Bhagavad Gita, transcendence is described as a level of spiritual attainment, or a state of being open to all spiritual aspirants (the end goal of yoga practice). In this state one is no longer under the control of any materialistic desires and is aware of a higher spiritual reality.
When the yogī, by practice of yoga, disciplines his mental activities and becomes situated in transcendence — devoid of all material desires — he is said to be well established in yoga.[22]
The exact nature of this transcendence is given as being "above the modes of material nature", which are known as gunas (ropes) that bind the living entity to the world of samsara (karmic cycle) in Hindu philosophy.[23]
Transcendence is described and viewed from diverse perspectives in Hinduism. Traditions such as Advaita Vedanta, in transcendence, view God as the Nirguna Brahman (God without attributes) - the absolute. Other traditions such as Bhakti yoga, in transcendence, view God as being with attributes (Saguna Brahman), the Absolute being a personal deity (Ishvara), such as Vishnu or Shiva.

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@Sidewalker
I used AI to give me summary of that book, and it seems that the man was ahead of his time, especially with direct democracy which even now seems unwanted by many for some reason.



  • "No More Secondhand God": This title poem, written in 1940, is a radical proposal for a more direct and responsive democracy. Fuller envisioned a system where citizens could vote on issues directly and frequently, potentially even hourly, through a nationwide telephone network.
    • Key Idea: To move beyond traditional representative democracy and empower individuals to have a more immediate and continuous voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
    • Relevance Today: While technically challenging in 1940, this concept resonates with modern ideas of direct democracy, citizen engagement, and the potential of technology to facilitate more participatory governance.
  • Ephemeralization: This is a core principle in Fuller's philosophy. It emphasizes doing more with less – achieving greater results with fewer resources.
    • Key Idea: To optimize efficiency and minimize environmental impact by finding innovative ways to accomplish tasks using less energy, materials, and overall effort. This aligns with the principles of sustainability and resource conservation.
    • Relevance Today: Ephemeralization is highly relevant in today's world, where resource scarcity and environmental concerns are paramount. Fuller's ideas can inspire solutions for developing more sustainable and efficient technologies, systems, and ways of living.
  • "Degeniusing": Fuller believed that every human being is born with inherent genius and the potential for significant contribution. However, he observed that societal pressures, limitations, and the constraints of traditional education often stifle this innate creativity and potential.
    • Key Idea: To identify and remove the barriers that hinder individual potential and allow individuals to fully realize their creative and intellectual capacities.
    • Relevance Today: This concept challenges conventional education systems and encourages the development of more holistic and individualized approaches to learning that nurture creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
These are some of the key points and ideas explored in "No More Secondhand God: And Other Writings" by R. Buckminster Fuller. His work continues to inspire and challenge us to think differently about technology, society, and the potential for human progress.

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@Sidewalker
Buckminster Fuller was a Unitarian minister. and he wrote a lot about spirit and spirituality:

Really, ive never heard any of that before. SD, do you have source for statements?
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Humans have no idea of what is going on in the Universe. They make up millions of stories.
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@FLRW
Humans have no idea of what is going on in the Universe. They make up millions of stories.
millions of events are happening daily.
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@ebuc
Buckminster Fuller was a Unitarian minister. and he wrote a lot about spirit and spirituality:

Really, ive never heard any of that before. SD, do you have source for statements?
I did some searching, there's a lot about his grandfather, he was a very influential Unitarian Minister and there's plenty online about that, but I can't find a link about him being a Unitarian Minister, but I'm pretty sure he was. A long time ago I worshipped in a Unitarian Church and the Minister took great pride in the fact That Fuller had been a minister too. Transcendentalism emerged from Unitarianism; they are very close spiritually.

Regarding his vision on Lake Michigan, he said he was enveloped in a white sphere of light and heard a voice tell him not to commit suicide, that he belonged to the Universe and should use his intellect to serve mankind, that is referenced all over the internet, he wrote about it and attributed everything that he accomplished to it. Here is his own account of that experience:


I think you are making a distinction between Transcendentalism and Spirit that is a false dichotomy, Transcendentalism is a form of Spirituality, and Fuller's philosophy was implicitly spiritual.


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@ebuc
Buckminster Fuller was a Unitarian minister. and he wrote a lot about spirit and spirituality:

Really, ive never heard any of that before. SD, do you have source for statements?
I did some searching, there's a lot about his grandfather, he was a very influential Unitarian Minister and there's plenty online about that, but I can't find a link about him being a Unitarian Minister, but I'm pretty sure he was. A long time ago I worshipped in a Unitarian Church and the Minister took great pride in the fact That Fuller had been a minister too. Transcendentalism emerged from Unitarianism; they are very close spiritually.

Regarding his vision on Lake Michigan, he said he was enveloped in a white sphere of light and heard a voice tell him not to commit suicide, that he belonged to the Universe and should use his intellect to serve mankind, I'd call that a spiritual experience. That experience is referenced all over the internet, he wrote about it and attributed everything that he accomplished to it. Here is his own account of that experience:


I think you are making a distinction between Transcendentalism and Spirit that is a false dichotomy, Transcendentalism is a form of Spirituality, and Fuller's entire philosophy was implicitly spiritual.


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@Sidewalker
...but I can't find a link about him being a Unitarian Minister, but I'm pretty sure he was.

SW, If you do find a link to any info of Fuller being a minister, I would be interested in that source for sure.

Im familiar with all the other stuff you mentioned.

I think you are making a distinction between Transcendentalism and Spirit that is a false dichotomy, Transcendentalism is a form of Spirituality, and Fuller's entire philosophy was implicitly spiritual.

I posted the quote from some site about the spirituality  transcendentalisms connection.  I embolden the word spirit to make the point of the word spirit there,  cause as I stated, I dont recall Fulller every using the word spirit in any of his books.  At best, he may have used the word spirit, in reference to something other than himself in those regards. At least in all that Ive read of his books, or audio recordings.

I think of much of his action and thoughts being of a spiritual nature, just as you do. Just he never states that himself, to best of my knowledge.

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I think you are making a distinction between Transcendentalism and Spirit that is a false dichotomy, Transcendentalism is a form of Spirituality, and Fuller's entire philosophy was implicitly spiritual.
I agree.
Transcendentalism spirituality?
Transcendentalism is a philosophical, spiritual, and literary movement that developed in the late 1820s and 1830s in the New England region of the United States.

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@ebuc
...but I can't find a link about him being a Unitarian Minister, but I'm pretty sure he was.

SW, If you do find a link to any info of Fuller being a minister, I would be interested in that source for sure.
I found one reference in Wikipedia of all places, no details, just a mention.

Philosophy
Buckminster Fuller was a Unitarian, and, like his grandfather Arthur Buckminster Fuller (brother of Margaret Fuller),[41][42] a Unitarian minister.

Im familiar with all the other stuff you mentioned.

I think you are making a distinction between Transcendentalism and Spirit that is a false dichotomy, Transcendentalism is a form of Spirituality, and Fuller's entire philosophy was implicitly spiritual.

I posted the quote from some site about the spirituality  transcendentalisms connection.  I embolden the word spirit to make the point of the word spirit there,  cause as I stated, I dont recall Fulller every using the word spirit in any of his books.  At best, he may have used the word spirit, in reference to something other than himself in those regards. At least in all that Ive read of his books, or audio recordings.

I think of much of his action and thoughts being of a spiritual nature, just as you do. Just he never states that himself, to best of my knowledge.
I think you are right, I guess because I saw him as very spiritual, like you do, I just assumed he used the word a lot, looks like you are right, I can't find a single instance of him having used the word.




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I think you are right, I guess because I saw him as very spiritual, like you do, I just assumed he used the word a lot, looks like you are right, I can't find a single instance of him having used the word.
We are all in agreement.
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@ebuc
We are all in agreement.
Will you look at that ebuc, even Shila thinks he's dumbass obnoxious troll
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Will you look at that ebuc, even Shila thinks he's dumbass obnoxious troll

Yeah, I agree with you.  Ive reported him a few times and nicely asked to take a hike from all of my thread.  He has no integrity of moral decency.

I forget who the moderater{s} are now, tho I seem to recall of one them sometime back, saying they were going to let DArt just go into free fall, chaos aka anything goes, within the limits of internet guidelines.

So DArt Shila is just a sympton of DArt going bye bye. The owner doesnt have time or interest anymore and no one wants to buy DArt, or do anything keep it from trolls.

However, I do think someone is keep the spam in check.  Ive reported those on regular basis. So at least this DArt has not been overun.. Thank you whomever your are for keeping the spam in check. It my br origami. I dunno
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Not a spam . It is a fact. Shila the most religious member after Harikrish? All the major topics on religion are introduced by them.