Philosophical Movements

noun a secret fraternal organization that traces its origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons, which from the end of the 16th century regulated the qualifications of masons and their interaction with authorities and clients

• Freemasonry is a fraternal organization that traces its origins to the local fraternities of stonemasons.
• My grandfather has been involved in freemasonry for years, it's like a secret society to him.
• Some people think freemasonry is just a bunch of guys getting together to wear funny hats and perform rituals.
• In a way, joining the company's inner circle felt like entering the freemasonry of the business world.

noun a belief in or the advocacy of revolutionary or extreme measures, especially for social or political change

• The rise of radicalism in politics has led to increased polarization among the population.
• Some people think radicalism is cool, but others find it too extreme.
• Radicalism is so extra, it's like they're trying too hard to be edgy.
• Innovation often requires a certain level of radicalism to challenge the status quo.

noun a philosophical and literary movement that emphasized living a simple life in harmony with nature and the importance of individual intuition and conscience

• Transcendentalism was a philosophical movement in the early 19th century that emphasized the importance of intuition and individualism.
• I learned about transcendentalism in my American literature class and found it really interesting.
• Some people think transcendentalism is just a bunch of hippie nonsense, but I think there's some truth to it.
• The author's writing style can be described as transcendentalism, as it often explores deep philosophical themes.

noun a person who follows the philosophical movement of transcendentalism, which emphasizes spiritual intuition and individualism

• The transcendentalist movement in the 19th century emphasized the importance of individual intuition and spiritual connection with nature.
• My friend is a big fan of transcendentalist philosophy and loves reading works by Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
• I don't get all that transcendentalist stuff, it's too deep for me.
• Her ideas were so ahead of their time, she was like a modern-day transcendentalist.