Emerson Ben Franklin's philosophies centered mostly onEnlightenment ideas. He believed in the value ofindividual freedom and that we should not be governed by amonarchy. Franklin also found that trust in method was thebest thing, because that is the method with which he wentthrough so that he would become a better writer. He had aneagerness to expand his knowledge in a quest to learn more. More weight was placed on the discovery of truth throughthe observation of nature, rather than through the study ofthe Bible. Ralph Waldo Emerson's philosophies were based on theidea of self-reliance. He would critique the conventionalvalues of property and ambition. Emerson was known as anexperimenter who urged other Americans to reject theirdeference to old modes and values. He spoke to peopleabout the ideas of creative reading and creative writing,which would reject the traditional oppositions betweenthinking and acting. Emerson is not afraid to do what hefells necessary regardless of what other people might thinkof his actions. On page 1627 he says, "Your genuine actionwill explain itself and explain your other genuineactions." I believe that he is saying your actions willspeak louder than words. If you do an act of goodness thenpeople will think that you are kind and thoughtful despitewhat they might have heard. On page 1630 he says, "hedares not say 'I think,' 'I am', but quotes some saint orsage." In this quote it seems that he tries to convincepeople that they should not be afraid to say how theyreally feel. The only similarity that I was able to see betweenthese two men is that the idea that both of them seem to bea fatherly advice giver. Franklin was very scholarly and agood leader. The evidence that Emerson might be a fatherlyadvice giver as well can be seen in a quote from his essayentitled "Self-Reliance". On page 1629 he says, "If I seea trait, my children will see it after me, and in course oftime, ...
