TRANSCENDENTAL
What are transcendental principles?
Transcendental principles are those that go beyond "mere mortals". This may sound plausible in the cases of Theism (God as the source of ethical principles) and Environmentalism (Mother Earth as the source of ethical principles), but does it apply to Humanism (cultural heritage as the source of ethical principles)? Yes, even Humanism is transcendental - it idealizes the accumulated contributions of the creative members of the species, not necessarily the personal attributes of any particular innovator (unless that personality can be "iconized"); but not usually common folk.
Most of both religions and philosophies have been premised on the proposition that people want (and need) something greater than just themselves, that they want some over-arching system to fit into. Given the historical record and comparative studies, the contention appears to be soundly based. A few dissidents however, continue to claim that the vast majority of such over-arching systems are mythological rather than existential, and that those who have promoted such postulates and principles have merely been trading on the gullibility and vulnerability of the majority. Although the consequences of practicing or not practicing certain values can be observed, the intrinsic rationales for them cannot be proven or disproven. You either form your principles in one context, or you do it in another. Furthermore, the kind of problems that plagued those with unbalanced approaches to either personal or social principles, also arise with transcendental principles.
How are transcendental values manifest?
All too often, those who are over-committed to (their own version of) Theism, are usually not happy just to praise God and obey his laws - they support proselytizing and crusading to convert unbelievers, either voluntarily or by force. Many radical Environmentalists claim that they want to reverse the Industrial Revolution and take humanity back to Voluntary Simplicity, a way of life supported by human labour and hand tools. Most of the projects for social improvement, social reform, or social reconstruction, are Humanist endeavours, rationalized by the Enlightenment, and the human costs of some of these projects have been as draconian as those of any sponsored in the name of Theism. Perhaps the single most important standard for principles of any type, is their consequences rather than their rationales. So what counts, in the final analysis, is behaviour rather than motivation. As religious dissenters constantly point out, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions". Hurting other people is not acceptable, regardless of the great cultural ideal that it might serve; destroying or degrading the environment is not acceptable, regardless of the great profits such exploitation might bring; and forcing changes of religious belief or worship is not acceptable, regardless of the sanction of theologians or charismatics. The only "bottom line" of relevance to any system of transcendental principles, is it capability to get people to "behave themselves" - the role of "higher principles" is social control. Motivation is viewed as an instrument to keep people on the "straight and narrow", not an excuse to wander from it.
Reference
Jack Gibbs
CONTROL: SOCIOLOGY'S CENTRAL NOTION
University of Illinois Press, Chicago, 1989