What is transcendental?

Transcendental refers to something that goes beyond the physical or tangible world that we experience with our senses. It usually relates to philosophical and spiritual concepts, such as the existence of a higher power or a universal consciousness that goes beyond our individual selves.

In the 19th century, Transcendentalism was a philosophical and literary movement in America that promoted individualism, self-reliance, and a connection to nature as a means of transcending societal expectations and restrictions. Its most prominent figures included Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

In mathematics, transcendental numbers are numbers that cannot be expressed as the root of any polynomial equation with rational coefficients. Examples of transcendental numbers include π and e.

Overall, transcendental ideas and concepts refer to the spiritual and intangible aspects of human experience that go beyond what can be easily observed and measured.