transzendente

Transzendente is a term used in several languages as the equivalent of the English word transcendent. In philosophy and theology, it denotes what lies beyond ordinary experience or the limits of knowledge, contrasted with immanent realities that are contained within those limits.

In theology, the transcendent aspect of the divine refers to existence beyond and independent from the created order. The concept is often balanced with ideas of immanence, which describe God or ultimate reality as present within the world and human experience.

In philosophy, transcendence concerns what exceeds possible experience, such as ultimate reality, absolute ideas, or the limits of human perception. A related term, transcendental, is used in Kantian and post-Kantian contexts to indicate the a priori conditions that structure experience, rather than something that itself exists beyond experience.

In mathematics, a transcendental number is a real or complex number that is not a root of any non-zero polynomial equation with integer coefficients. Famous examples include pi and e, illustrating a different use of the same root concept.

Etymology: the root is Latin transcendere ‘to climb across, go beyond,’ with the form adapted in various languages as transzendente, transcendente, or similar.

See also: transcendence, immanence, noumenon, phenomenon, transcendental number.