The essay “Circles” by Emerson is a distinction between two kinds of knowledge – Understanding and Reasoning. There is a difference between the both. Understanding is a state when you realize what is what and which is which, but reasoning is a state where it goes beyond understanding and need logically thinking on matters.
The essay begins with an appeal for understanding where Emerson explains that there is no end to any act in the world, everything is just a circle and there is no ending to any facts or events.
Every end is a beginning to another event and so it goes on. But as the essay goes on, he comes to a point as to how far understanding could go. It is bound and mystified by contradiction. He does ask that, how could many centers be one and how could the centre and circumference be the same. He again explains this by saying that the fluidity of the universe would never get sensible to us, but by a contrast to some principles, of stability to the soul only. He says that the centre of life is superior to all other things like creation, knowledge, and thoughts.
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After stating about understanding, he comes to reasoning. This is where he explains that every man has a reasoning capacity in them, however the good, uses it in the right and in the bad it is dormant. He relates reasoning to GOD as it is perfect and identical in all men. Which means that reasoning is the centre? True wisdom would then consist of trusting and developing one’s reason, as this is the way to become in tune to the mysticism at one’s centre.
Emerson believes that moral action will result from trust as he explains that the moral law lies in the centre of the nature and then radiates to the circumference. He says knowledge is just a state of understanding what you are and where you stand and what you should do, but reasoning is the inner you and it is the centre and you revolve around it.
Emerson tries to make his readers to read with a reasoning mind and he gives a poetic touch in his essay when he explains this. He says that here is where a poet comes, where the poet sees the inner beauty and explains it as an eye opener to the reader.
Through the essay, Circles, Emerson makes an effort to get the reader think from a wider circle point of view and asks the reader to make changes in himself, something like drawing a new circle around him. He says that if one is able to reason himself and set new boundaries, then one could excel in life.
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Emerson also speaks about spirituality where God is being the centre and also the circumference. He created things to be in the centre as well as outside the centre. Emerson has not written this essay on some fancy or romantic notion, it is a validity stamp based on the realization of an affinity between mystical tradition and modern physics.
This essay is both epistemological and spiritual. It is epistemological in the way how human accomplish things and spiritual as it aims the readers to get in touch with divinity. Emerson tries to bring out the importance of reasoning oneself in this competitive world and get oneself out with all the potential within them.