The head best leaves to the heart what the heart alone divines

The head best leaves to the heart what the heart alone divines

Amos Bronson Alcott, a prominent American educator and philosopher, believed in the power of the heart to understand and interpret the world in a way that the head alone cannot. His quote, “The head best leaves to the heart what the heart alone divines,” encapsulates his belief that the heart possesses a wisdom and intuition that goes beyond rational thought.

Alcott was a transcendentalist, a philosophical movement that emphasized the importance of intuition, individualism, and the interconnectedness of all living beings. He believed that the heart, as the seat of emotions and intuition, was capable of understanding truths that the rational mind could not grasp. In his view, the head, or the intellect, should defer to the heart when it comes to matters of the spirit and the soul.

Alcott’s belief in the primacy of the heart over the head can be seen in his approach to education. He was a proponent of a holistic, child-centered approach to learning that emphasized the development of the whole person – mind, body, and spirit. He believed that education should nurture the child’s innate curiosity, creativity, and moral sense, rather than simply focusing on rote memorization and academic achievement.