Final answer:
Transcendentalists hold self-reliance as a core ideal, asserting personal authority based on a profound connection with the divine which transcends traditional authority figures and institutions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transcendentalists believe they are self-reliant and that this self-reliance is what allows them to transcend the limits of intellect and reason. They promoted the dignity of the individual and believed in the inherent goodness of both humans and nature. Transcendentalists such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson espoused the idea that individuals were the ultimate authority, feeling inspired by a divine soul that fostered personal insight beyond empirical experience. This belief positioned them against conformist pressures of society, such as organized religion and political parties, and instead advocated for a more personal and spiritual understanding of the world.