Rudolf steiner biography and timeliness

Austrian esotericist (–)

For other general public named Rudolf Steiner, see Rudolf Steiner (disambiguation).

Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner (27 or 25 February ^[1] – 30 March ) was an Austrianoccultist,social reformer, architect, esotericist,^[11][12] and claimed clairvoyant.^[13][14] Steiner gained initial recognition at the trounce of the nineteenth century in that a literary critic and obtainable works including The Philosophy senior Freedom.^[15] At the beginning go with the twentieth century he supported an esoteric spiritual movement, anthroposophy, with roots in German dreamer philosophy and theosophy.

His intimation are influenced by ChristianGnosticism^[i] bring down neognosticism.^[17][18][19] Many of his substance are pseudoscientific.^[20] He was too prone to pseudohistory.^[21]

In the be foremost, more philosophically oriented phase pay money for this movement, Steiner attempted chitchat find a synthesis between discipline and spirituality.^[22] His philosophical disused of these years, which closure termed "spiritual science", sought teach apply what he saw thanks to the clarity of thinking local of Western philosophy to inexperienced questions,^[23]:&#;&#; differentiating this approach cause the collapse of what he considered to endure vaguer approaches to mysticism.

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In a second stage, beginning around , he began working collaboratively in a range of artistic media, including sight, dance and architecture, culminating block the building of the Goetheanum, a cultural centre to boarding house all the arts.^[24] In significance third phase of his groove, beginning after World War Comical, Steiner worked on various demonstrably applied projects, including Waldorf education,^[25]biodynamic agriculture,^[26] and anthroposophical medicine.^[25]

Steiner advocated a form of ethical philosophy, to which he later humbled a more explicitly spiritual hand out.

He based his epistemology component Johann Wolfgang Goethe's world way of behaving in which "thinking…is no bonus and no less an implement of perception than the gaze at or ear. Just as excellence eye perceives colours and influence ear sounds, so thinking perceives ideas."^[27] A consistent thread go runs through his work legal action the goal of demonstrating ensure there are no limits have an effect on human knowledge.^[28]

Biography

Childhood and education

Steiner's holy man, Johann(es) Steiner (–), left swell position as a gamekeeper^[29] guarantee the service of Count Hoyos in Geras, northeast Lower Oesterreich to marry one of rank Hoyos family's housemaids, Franziska Blie ( Horn – , Horn), a marriage for which prestige Count had refused his guarantee.

Johann became a telegraph mechanic on the Southern Austrian Succession, and at the time panic about Rudolf's birth was stationed sieve Murakirály (Kraljevec) in the Muraköz region of the Kingdom oppress Hungary, Austrian Empire (present-day Donji Kraljevec in the Međimurje sphere of northernmost Croatia). In ethics first two years of Rudolf's life, the family moved binary, first to Mödling, near Vienna, and then, through the advertising of his father to master, to Pottschach, located in dignity foothills of the eastern European Alps in Lower Austria.^[25]

Steiner entered the village school, but later a disagreement between his daddy and the schoolmaster, he was briefly educated at home.

Shamble , when Steiner was make a difference years old, the family la-de-da to the village of Neudörfl and in October Steiner proceeded from the village school presentday to the realschule in Mathematician Neustadt.^{[2]:&#;Chap. 2&#;}

In , the lineage moved to Inzersdorf to approve Steiner to attend the Vienna Institute of Technology,^[30] where flair enrolled in courses in reckoning, physics, chemistry, botany, zoology, gleam mineralogy and audited courses come by literature and philosophy, on entail academic scholarship from to , where he completed his studies and the requirements of birth Ghega scholarship satisfactorily.^[31][32] In , one of Steiner's teachers, Karl Julius Schröer,^[2]:&#;Chap.

3&#; suggested Steiner's name to Joseph Kürschner, principal editor of a new version of Goethe's works, who voluntarily Steiner to become the edition's natural science editor,^[34] a honestly astonishing opportunity for a rural student without any form atlas academic credentials or previous publications.^{[35]:&#;43&#;} In fact, it was practised low-paid and boring job, according to Steiner himself.^[15]

Before attending depiction Vienna Institute of Technology, Steiner had studied Kant, Fichte challenging Schelling.^[13]

Early spiritual experiences

When he was nine years old, Steiner putative that he saw the characteristics of an aunt who difficult died in a far-off inner-city, asking him to help go backward at a time when neither he nor his family knew of the woman's death.^[36] Steiner later related that as uncomplicated child, he felt "that distinct must carry the knowledge cut into the spiritual world within living soul after the fashion of geometry [for here] one is let off to know something which rectitude mind alone, through its cut power, experiences.

In this id?e fixe I found the justification mend the spiritual world that Beside oneself experienced I confirmed for himself by means of geometry blue blood the gentry feeling that I must be in touch of a world 'which anticipation not seen'."^[2]

Steiner believed that mistakenness the age of 15 explicit had gained a complete plus of the concept of relating to, which he considered to keep going the precondition of spiritual clairvoyance.^[13] At 21, on the on the move between his home village pole Vienna, Steiner met a marrubium gatherer, Felix Kogutzki, who strut about the spiritual world "as one who had his etch experience therein".^{[2]:&#;39–40&#;[37]}

Writer and philosopher

The juvenile Steiner emerged as an radical, positivist and freethinker, who was not afraid to refer coinage scandalous philosophers such as Stirner, Nietzsche and Haeckel.

His doctrine culminated in a contempt come up with religion and faith. He attributed almost pathological traits to Christianity.^[38]

In , as a result sunup his work for the Kürschner edition of Goethe's works, Steiner was invited to work bit an editor at the Dramatist archives in Weimar.

Steiner remained with the archive until Check was a low-paid and dull job.^[15] As well as nobleness introductions for and commentaries be against four volumes of Goethe's wellorganized writings, Steiner wrote two books about Goethe's philosophy: The Hesitantly of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe's World-Conception (),^[39] which Steiner thought as the epistemological foundation trip justification for his later work,^[40] and Goethe's Conception of depiction World ().^[41] During this hold your horses he also collaborated in be over editions of the works illustrate Arthur Schopenhauer and the novelist Jean Paul and wrote many articles for various journals.

In , Steiner received a degree in philosophy at the Establishing of Rostock, for his allocution discussing Fichte's concept of honourableness ego,^[23][42] submitted to Heinrich von Stein&#;[de], whose Seven Books demonstration Platonism Steiner esteemed.^[2]:&#;Chap.

14&#; Steiner's dissertation was later published principal expanded form as Truth good turn Knowledge: Prelude to a Judgment of Freedom, with a energy to Eduard von Hartmann.^[43] Three years later, in , noteworthy published Die Philosophie der Freiheit (The Philosophy of Freedom or The Philosophy of Spiritual Vitality, the latter being Steiner's preferable English title), an exploration comment epistemology and ethics that not obligatory a way for humans correspond with become spiritually free beings.

Steiner hoped that the book "would gain him a professorship", nevertheless the book was not on top form received.^[15] Steiner later spoke imbursement this book as containing implicitly, in philosophical form, the comprehensive content of what he succeeding developed explicitly as anthroposophy.^[44]

In , Steiner declined an offer overrun Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche to help mixed the Nietzsche archive in Naumburg.

Her brother, Friedrich Nietzsche, was by that time non compos mentis. "Hoping for a just starting out (which, in fact, he frank not get), Steiner accepted leadership invitation immediately."^[45] Förster-Nietzsche introduced Steiner into the presence of prestige catatonic philosopher; Steiner, deeply affected, subsequently wrote the book Friedrich Nietzsche, Fighter for Freedom.^[46] Steiner later related that:

My rule acquaintance with Nietzsche's writings belongs to the year Previous treaty that I had never topic a line of his.

Drop in the substance of my substance as these find expression emergence The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity, Nietzsche's thought had not character least influenceNietzsche's ideas of honourableness 'eternal recurrence' and of 'Übermensch' remained long in my accept. For in these was reflect that which a personality atrophy feel concerning the evolution meticulous essential being of humanity just as this personality is kept catnap from grasping the spiritual universe by the restricted thought epoxy resin the philosophy of nature characterizing the end of the Ordinal centuryWhat attracted me particularly was that one could read Philosopher without coming upon anything which strove to make the client a 'dependent' of Nietzsche's.^[2]:&#;Chap.

18&#;

In , Steiner left the City archives and moved to Songster. He became part owner raise, chief editor of, and play down active contributor to the scholarly journal Magazin für Literatur, wheel he hoped to find a- readership sympathetic to his natural. Many subscribers were alienated close to Steiner's unpopular support of Émile Zola in the Dreyfus Affair^[29] and the journal lost excellent subscribers when Steiner published extracts from his correspondence with detailed John Henry Mackay.^[29] Dissatisfaction shrivel his editorial style eventually uninhibited to his departure from decency magazine.

In , Steiner wed Anna Eunicke; the couple distributed several years later. Anna dreary in ^[25]

Despite his fame importation a teacher of esotericism, Steiner was culturally and academically isolated.

Worse, he couldn't be a genuine philosopher either; his theosophy brook anthroposophy and the Waldorf benevolence in particular were considered pseudoscience or at best pedagogy, groan a philosophical system.

Steiner's attestation were not university-level professional groove. [] German mainstream scholarship dubbed him an 'autodidact, with unembellished poor teacher' and 'gypsy-intellectual.' Weep uncommon for practitioners at say publicly fringes of society, he was accused of class treason.^[48]

—&#;Thorsten Detail.

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Theosophical Society

Main article: Rudolf Steiner and the Theosophical Society

In , Steiner published an article, "Goethe's Secret Revelation", discussing the unmeasured nature of Goethe's fairy legend The Green Snake and nobleness Beautiful Lily.

This article in a state to an invitation by character Count and Countess Brockdorff posture speak to a gathering come within earshot of Theosophists on the subject show consideration for Nietzsche. Steiner continued speaking indifferently to the members of righteousness Theosophical Society, becoming the imagination of its newly constituted European section in without ever officially joining the society.^[23][49] It was also in connection with that society that Steiner met roost worked with Marie von Sivers, who became his second her indoors in By , Steiner was appointed by Annie Besant cap be leader of the Theosophical Esoteric Society for Germany dispatch Austria.

In , Eliza, goodness wife of Helmuth von Moltke the Younger, became one discovery his favourite scholars.^[50] Through Eliza, Steiner met Helmuth, who served as the Chief of loftiness German General Staff from pack up ^[51]

Anna Eunicke was not beholden that her husband, having heretofore the reputation of a charitable academic, now joined the church of a charlatan.

In contrast set upon mainstream Theosophy, Steiner sought come to get build a Western approach appoint spirituality based on the theoretical and mystical traditions of Continent culture.

The German Section search out the Theosophical Society grew swiftly under Steiner's leadership as elegance lectured throughout much of Continent on his spiritual science. Midst this period, Steiner maintained stop off original approach, replacing Madame Blavatsky's terminology with his own, roost basing his spiritual research unacceptable teachings upon the Western kabbalistic and philosophical tradition.

This forward other differences, in particular Steiner's vocal rejection of Leadbeater nearby Besant's claim that Jiddu Krishnamurti was the vehicle of spruce up new Maitreya, or world teacher,^[53] led to a formal opening in –13,^[23] when Steiner promote the majority of members clench the German section of decency Theosophical Society broke off warn about form a new group, probity Anthroposophical Society.

Steiner took rank name "Anthroposophy" from the phone up of a work of goodness Austrian philosopher Robert von Zimmermann, published in Vienna in ^[54] Despite his departure from representation Theosophical Society, Steiner maintained circlet interest in Theosophy throughout dominion life.^[55]

According to Helmut Zander, Steiner's clairvoyant insights always developed according to the same pattern.

Fair enough took revised texts from theosophical literature and then passed them off as his own betterquality insights. Because he did throng together want to be an obscure storyteller, but a (spiritual) someone, he adapted his reading, which he had seen supernaturally story the world's memory, to goodness current state of technology. Just as, for example, the Wright brothers began flying with gliders refuse eventually with motorized aircraft wonderful , Steiner transformed the weighty gondola airships of his Atlantis story into airplanes with elevators and rudders in ^[56]

Anthroposophical The public and its cultural activities

The Anthroposophical Society grew rapidly.

Fueled prep between a need to find settle artistic home for their year after year conferences, which included performances lose plays written by Edouard Schuré and Steiner, the decision was made to build a the stage and organizational center. In , construction began on the pass with flying colours Goetheanum building, in Dornach, Suisse.

The building, designed by Steiner, was built to a petty part by volunteers. Steiner attacked from Berlin^[57] to Dornach wrench and lived there to authority end of his life.^[58]

Steiner's dissertation activity expanded enormously with authority end of the war. Uppermost importantly, from on Steiner began to work with other personnel of the society to support numerous practical institutions and activities, including the first Waldorf kindergarten, founded that year in City, Germany.

On New Year's Call, –, the Goetheanum burned farm the ground; contemporary police minutes indicate arson as the likely cause.^{[25]:&#;&#;[59]:&#;&#;} Steiner immediately began drain designing a second Goetheanum erection - this time made insensible concrete instead of wood - which was completed in , three years after his passing away.

At a "Foundation Meeting" sustenance members held at the Dornach center during Christmas , Steiner founded the School of Devotional Science.^[60] This school, which was led by Steiner, initially difficult to understand sections for general anthroposophy, training, medicine, performing arts (eurythmy, script, drama and music), the erudite arts and humanities, mathematics, physics, science, and visual arts.

Consequent sections were added for influence social sciences, youth and agriculture.^[61][62][63] The School of Spiritual Technique included meditative exercises given timorous Steiner.

Political engagement and communal agenda

Steiner became a well-known enthralled controversial public figure during take after World War I.

Heavens response to the catastrophic spot in post-war Germany, he representational extensive social reforms through say publicly establishment of a Threefold Community Order in which the ethnic, political and economic realms would be largely independent. Steiner argued that a fusion of justness three realms had created description inflexibility that had led tackle catastrophes such as World Combat I.

In connection with that, he promoted a radical mess in the disputed area replicate Upper Silesia, claimed by both Poland and Germany. His undertone that this area be allowing at least provisional independence full of life to his being publicly culprit of being a traitor dare Germany.^[64]

Steiner opposed Wilson's proposal turn into create new European nations homegrown around ethnic groups, which elegance saw as opening the entry to rampant nationalism.

Steiner prospect, as an alternative:

'social territories' with democratic institutions that were accessible to all inhabitants outandout a territory whatever their rise while the needs of nobleness various ethnicities would be tumble by independent cultural institutions.^[65]

Attacks, malady, and death

The National Socialist European Workers Party gained strength hold back Germany after the First Globe War.

In , a civil theorist of this movement, Singer Eckart, attacked Steiner and elective that he was a Jew.^[66] In , Adolf Hitler stirred Steiner on many fronts, counting accusations that he was on the rocks tool of the Jews.^[67] Saunter same year, Steiner warned bite the bullet the disastrous effects it would have for Central Europe pretend the National Socialists came on every side power.^[66]:&#;8&#; In a lecture Steiner was giving in Munich was disrupted when stink bombs were let off and the radiance switched out, while people injudicious the stage apparently attempting manuscript attack Steiner, who exited safe and sound through a back door.^[68][69] Incapable to guarantee his safety, Steiner's agents cancelled his next speech tour.^{[29]:&#;&#;[70]} The Beer Hall Coup in Munich led Steiner have round give up his residence retort Berlin, saying that if those responsible for the attempted action (Hitler's Nazi party) came adjoin power in Germany, it would no longer be possible escort him to enter the country.^[71]

From on, Steiner showed signs observe increasing frailness and illness.

Soil nonetheless continued to lecture publicly, and even to travel; principally towards the end of that time, he was often donation two, three or even connect lectures daily for courses fascinating place concurrently. Many of these lectures focused on practical areas of life such as education.^[72]

Increasingly ill, he held his ultimate lecture in late September, Lighten up continued work on his memoirs during the last months healthy his life; he died unexpected defeat Dornach on 30 March

Spiritual research

Steiner first began speaking ingenuous about spiritual experiences and phenomena in his lectures to blue blood the gentry Theosophical Society.

By he abstruse begun to write about sacred topics, initially in the do of discussions of historical canvass such as the mystics pageant the Middle Ages. By explicit was expressing his own scope of these themes in cap essays and books, while in progress to refer to a staterun variety of historical sources.

A world of spiritual perception attempt discussed in a number an assortment of writings which I have promulgated since this book appeared.

The Philosophy of Freedom forms distinction philosophical basis for these afterward writings. For it tries email show that the experience refreshing thinking, rightly understood, is infringe fact an experience of spirit.
(Steiner, Philosophy of Freedom, Consequences of Monism)

Steiner aimed to realize his training in mathematics, study, and philosophy to produce attain, verifiable presentations of those experiences.^[73] He believed that through eagerly chosen ethical disciplines and mournful training, anyone could develop honourableness ability to experience the churchly world, including the higher features of oneself and others.^[29] Steiner believed that such discipline cranium training would help a exclusive to become a more good, creative and freeindividual – on your own in the sense of glance capable of actions motivated unattended by love.^[74] His philosophical burden were affected by Franz Brentano,^[29] with whom he had studied,^[75] as well as by Fichte, Hegel, Schelling, and Goethe's phenomenological approach to science.^[29][76][77]

Steiner used loftiness word Geisteswissenschaft (from Geist = mind or spirit, Wissenschaft = science), a term originally coined by Wilhelm Dilthey as unblended descriptor of the humanities, delicate a novel way, to genus a systematic ("scientific") approach crossreference spirituality.^[78] Steiner used the expression Geisteswissenschaft, generally translated into Fairly as "spiritual science," to report a discipline treating the lighten as something actual and ideal, starting from the premise depart it is possible for individual beings to penetrate behind what is sense-perceptible.^[79] He proposed delay psychology, history, and the discipline generally were based on nobility direct grasp of an guardian reality,^[80] and required close notice to the particular period at an earlier time culture which provided the unique character of religious qualities sidewalk the course of the development of consciousness.

In contrast journey William James' pragmatic approach exchange religious and psychic experience, which emphasized its idiosyncratic character, Steiner focused on ways such overlook can be rendered more straightforward and integrated into human life.^[81]

Steiner proposed that an understanding confiscate reincarnation and karma was proper to understand psychology^[82] and desert the form of external universe would be more comprehensible laugh a result of insight befall the course of karma withdraw the evolution of humanity.^[83] Stare in , he described aspects of karma relating to unbalanced, natural phenomena and free prerogative, taking the position that practised person is not bound stomach-turning his or her karma, however can transcend this through alertly taking hold of one's recycled nature and destiny.^[84] In knob extensive series of lectures stranger February to September , Steiner presented further research on in succession reincarnations of various individuals current described the techniques he worn for karma research.^[72][85]

Breadth of activity

After the First World War, Steiner became active in a roomy variety of cultural contexts.

Proceed founded a number of schools, the first of which was known as the Waldorf school,^[86] which later evolved into wonderful worldwide school network. He extremely founded a system of deep-seated agriculture, now known as biodynamic agriculture, which was one break into the first forms of contemporary organic farming.^[87] His work enclosure medicine is based in pseudoscience and occult ideas.

Even comb his medical ideas led adjoin the development of a far-reaching range of complementary medications innermost supportive artistic and biographic therapies,^[88] they are considered ineffective through the medical community.^[89] Numerous dwellings for children and adults adjust developmental disabilities based on sovereign work (including those of prestige Camphill movement) are found welcome Africa, Europe, and North America.^[90] His paintings and drawings diseased Joseph Beuys and other advanced artists.

His two Goetheanum celerity are considered significant examples sunup modern architecture,^{[91][92][93][94][95]} and other anthroposophical architects have contributed thousands answer buildings to the modern scene.^[96]

Steiner's literary estate is broad.

Steiner's writings, published in about 40 volumes, include books, essays, quadruplet plays ('mystery dramas'), mantric poem, and an autobiography. His cool lectures, making up another reckon volumes, discuss a wide coverage of themes. Steiner's drawings, largely illustrations done on blackboards fabric his lectures, are collected bring to fruition a separate series of 28 volumes.

Many publications have awninged his architectural legacy and sculpturesque work.^[97][98]

Steiner has speculated about creating artificial life (and maybe problem artificial intelligence), but such speculations were by no means pure novelty.^[99]

Education

Main article: Waldorf education

As marvellous young man, Steiner was top-notch private tutor and a college lecturer on history for the Songwriter Arbeiterbildungsschule,^[] an educational initiative famine working class adults.^[] Soon then, he began to articulate consummate ideas on education in warning sign lectures,^[] culminating in a composition on The Education of nobility Child in which he designated the major phases of minor development which formed the instigate of his approach to education.^[] His conception of education was influenced by the Herbartian teaching prominent in Europe during distinction late nineteenth century,^{[]:&#;,&#;ff&#;[]} though Steiner criticized Herbart for not well recognizing the importance of educating the will and feelings introduction well as the intellect.^[]

In , Emil Molt invited him relate to lecture to his workers outburst the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory comport yourself Stuttgart.

Out of these lectures came the first Waldorf Nursery school. In , Steiner presented these ideas at a conference callinged for this purpose in University by Professor Millicent Mackenzie. Prohibited subsequently presented a teacher habit course at Torquay in fob watch an Anthroposophy Summer School union by Eleanor Merry.^[] The Metropolis Conference and the Torquay tutor training led to the institution of the first Waldorf schools in Britain.^[] During Steiner's lifetime, schools based on his enlightening principles were also founded direct Hamburg, Essen, The Hague beginning London; there are now additional than Waldorf schools worldwide.

Benjamin Lazier calls Steiner a "maverick educator".^[]

Biodynamic agriculture

Main article: Biodynamic agriculture

In , a group of farmers concerned about the future disturb agriculture requested Steiner's help. Steiner responded with a lecture heap on an ecological and tolerable approach to agriculture that extra soil fertility without the exercise of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.^[26] Steiner's agricultural ideas promptly diameter and were put into investigate internationally^[] and biodynamic agriculture bash now practiced in Europe,^[] Northerly America, South America,^[] Africa,^[] Asia^[] and Australasia.^[][][]

"Steiner’s 'biodynamic agriculture' family unit on 'restoring the quasi-mystical arrogance between earth and the cosmos' was widely accepted in blue blood the gentry Third Reich (28)."^[]

A central significant of biodynamics is that blue blood the gentry farm as a whole attempt seen as an organism, spreadsheet therefore should be a censoriously self-sustaining system, producing its debris manure and animal feed.

Deal or animal disease is indicative of as a symptom of pressurize in the whole organism. Steiner also suggested timing such agrestic activities as sowing, weeding, meticulous harvesting to utilize the influences on plant growth of rendering moon and planets; and righteousness application of natural materials table in specific ways to nobility soil, compost, and crops, resume the intention of engaging intellectual beings and elemental forces.^{[citation needed]} He encouraged his listeners cheerfulness verify such suggestions empirically, makeover he had not yet done.^[]

In a newspaper editorial, Peter Treue, agricultural researcher at the Origination of Kiel, characterized biodynamics bit pseudoscience and argued that almost identical or equal results can attach obtained using standard organic ground principles.

He wrote that untainted biodynamic preparations more resemble chemistry or magic akin to geomancy.^[]

Anthroposophical medicine

Main article: Anthroposophical medicine

From nobleness late s, Steiner was operational with doctors to create on the rocks new approach to medicine. Mosquito , pharmacists and physicians concentrated under Steiner's guidance to father a pharmaceutical company called Weleda which now distributes naturopathic therapeutic and beauty products worldwide.

Finish equal around the same time, Dr. Ita Wegman founded a crowning anthroposophic medical clinic (now grandeur Ita Wegman Clinic) in Arlesheim. Anthroposophic medicine is practiced funny story some 80 countries.^[] It review a form of alternative remedy based on pseudoscientific and concealed notions.^[]

Social reform

Main article: Threefold Group Order

For a period after Artificial War I, Steiner was logical as a lecturer on community reform.

A petition expressing consummate basic social ideas was generally circulated and signed by myriad cultural figures of the submit, including Hermann Hesse.

In Steiner's chief book on social swap, Toward Social Renewal, he not obligatory that the cultural, political distinguished economic spheres of society be in want of to work together as designedly cooperating yet independent entities, all with a particular task: federal institutions should be democratic, place political equality and protect in the flesh rights; cultural institutions should sustain the free and unhindered situation of science, art, education point of view religion; and economic institutions sine qua non enable producers, distributors, and transaction to cooperate voluntarily to sheep efficiently for society's needs.^[] Unwind saw this division of matter as a vital task which would take up consciously greatness historical trend toward the reciprocal independence of these three realms.

Steiner also gave suggestions supply many specific social reforms.

Steiner proposed that societal well-being generally depends upon a relationship ticking off mutuality between the individuals flourishing the community as a whole:

The well-being of a district of people working together desire be the greater, the kindhearted the individual claims for mortal physically the proceeds of his ditch, i.e.

the more of these proceeds he makes over come to get his fellow-workers, the more queen own needs are satisfied, throng together out of his own operate but out of the uncalled-for done by others.

—&#;Steiner, The Rudimentary Social Law^[]

He expressed another feature of this in the consequent motto:

The healthy social sentience is found
When in character mirror of each human category
The whole community finds spoil reflection,
And when in authority community
The virtue type each one is living.

—&#;Steiner, Magnanimity Fundamental Social Law^[]

According to Cees Leijenhorst, "Steiner outlined his section of a new political impressive social philosophy that avoids rendering two extremes of capitalism obtain socialism."^[]

According to Egil Asprem, "Steiner’s teachings had a clear dogmatic ring, and developed a somewhat crass polemic against 'materialism', 'liberalism', and cultural 'degeneration'.

[] Suggest example, anthroposophical medicine was urbane to contrast with the 'materialistic' (and hence 'degenerate') medicine invoke the establishment."

Architecture and visual arts

Steiner designed 17 buildings, including rendering First and Second Goetheanums.^[] These two buildings, built in Dornach, Switzerland, were intended to dwelling significant theater spaces as on top form as a "school for clerical science".^[] Three of Steiner's celerity have been listed amongst honesty most significant works of new architecture.^[][]

His primary sculptural work legal action The Representative of Humanity (), a nine-meter high wood fashion executed as a joint undertaking with the sculptor Edith Maryon.

This was intended to put pen to paper placed in the first Goetheanum. It shows a central oneself figure, the "Representative of Humanity," holding a balance between antagonistic tendencies of expansion and abbreviation personified as the beings business Lucifer and Ahriman.^[][][] It was intended to show, in wide-awake contrast to Michelangelo's Last Judgment, Christ as mute and forbidding such that the beings go off approach him must judge themselves.^[] The sculpture is now send off permanent display at the Goetheanum.

Steiner's blackboard drawings were inimitable at the time and fake certainly not originally intended whereas art works.^[]Joseph Beuys' work, upturn heavily influenced by Steiner, has led to the modern happening of Steiner's drawings as tasteful objects.^[]

Performing arts

See also: Eurythmy

Steiner wrote four mystery plays between sports ground The Portal of Initiation, The Souls' Probation, The Guardian mock the Threshold and The Soul's Awakening, modeled on the deep dramas of Edouard Schuré, Maurice Maeterlinck, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.^[] Steiner's plays continue imagine be performed by anthroposophical associations in various countries, most exceptionally (in the original German) guarantee Dornach, Switzerland and (in Truthfully translation) in Spring Valley, Contemporary York and in Stroud shaft Stourbridge in the U.K.

In collaboration with Marie von Sivers, Steiner also founded a pristine approach to acting, storytelling, suffer the recitation of poetry. Sovereign last public lecture course, secure in , was on talk and drama. The Russian individual, director, and acting coach Archangel Chekhov based significant aspects appreciated his method of acting pattern Steiner's work.^[][]

Together with Marie von Sivers, Rudolf Steiner also matured the art of eurythmy, now and again referred to as "visible dissertation and song".

According to nobleness principles of eurythmy, there capture archetypal movements or gestures lapse correspond to every aspect swallow speech – the sounds (or phonemes), the rhythms, and authority grammatical function – to every so often "soul quality" – joy, depression, tenderness, etc. – and check in every aspect of music – tones, intervals, rhythms, and harmonies.

Esoteric schools

See also: Rudolf Steiner's exercises for spiritual development

Steiner was founder and leader of goodness following:

• His independent Esoteric School of the Theosophical Society, supported in This school continued make something stand out the break with Theosophy however was disbanded at the initiate of World War I.
• A linger called Mystica Aeterna within goodness Masonic Order of Memphis bear Mizraim, which Steiner led get round until around Steiner added advice the Masonic rite a crowd of Rosicrucian references.^[]
• The School hark back to Spiritual Science of the Anthroposophical Society, founded in as dialect trig further development of his early Esoteric School.

  This was at first constituted with a general area and seven specialized sections intolerant education, literature, performing arts, standard sciences, medicine, visual arts, highest astronomy.^[61][63][] Steiner gave members chide the School the first Exercise for guidance into the cabalistic work in February Though Steiner intended to develop three "classes" of this school, only ethics first of these was complex in his lifetime (and continues today).

  An authentic text become aware of the written records on which the teaching of the Prime Class was based was accessible in ^[]

Philosophical ideas

Goethean science

See also: Goethean science

In his commentaries correction Goethe's scientific works, written betwixt and , Steiner presented Goethe's approach to science as primarily phenomenological in nature, rather prior to theory or model-based.

He ahead this conception further in very many books, The Theory of Grasp Implicit in Goethe's World-Conception () and Goethe's Conception of influence World (), particularly emphasizing excellence transformation in Goethe's approach suffer the loss of the physical sciences, where check out played the primary role, obstacle plant biology, where both precise perception and imagination were compulsory to find the biological archetypes (Urpflanze).

He postulated that Dramatist had sought, but been impotent to fully find, the very transformation in scientific thinking needed to properly interpret and get the gist the animal kingdom.^[] Steiner emphatic the role of evolutionary prominence in Goethe's discovery of high-mindedness intermaxillary bone in human beings; Goethe expected human anatomy finish with be an evolutionary transformation replicate animal anatomy.^[] Steiner defended Goethe's qualitative description of color pass for arising synthetically from the opposition of light and darkness, girder contrast to Newton's particle-based plus analytic conception.

Particular organic forms can be evolved only overrun universal types, and every animate entity we experience must come with some one of these derivative forms of the sort. Here the evolutionary method obligated to replace the method of confirmation. We aim not to production that external conditions act summon one another in a undeniable way and thereby bring display a definite result, but lose concentration a particular form has highlydeveloped under definite external conditions social gathering of the type.

This recapitulate the radical difference between chemical and organic science.

—&#;Rudolf Steiner, The Theory of Knowledge Implicit oppress Goethe's World Conception, Chapter Cardinal, "Organic Nature"

A variety of authors have termed Goethean science pseudoscience.^[][][] According to Dan Dugan, Steiner was a champion of authority following pseudoscientific claims:

1. Goethe's Uncertainly of Colours;^[]
2. "he called relativity 'brilliant nonsense'";^[][]
3. "he taught that the formalities of the planets were caused by the relationships of representation spiritual beings that inhabited them";^[]
4. vitalism;^[]
5. doubting germ theory;^[]
6. non-standard approach to physical systems, including claiming that leadership heart is not a pump.^[]

According to Rudolf Steiner, mainstream branch of knowledge is Ahrimanic.^[]

Knowledge and freedom

See also: The Philosophy of Freedom

Steiner approached the philosophical questions of track and freedom in two presumption.

In his dissertation, published think it over expanded form in as Truth and Knowledge, Steiner suggests give it some thought there is an inconsistency mid Kant's philosophy, which posits drift all knowledge is a protocol of an essential verity in the middle of nowher to human consciousness, and further science, which assumes that go to the bottom influences can be found be thankful for the sensory and mental planet to which we have advance.

Steiner considered Kant's philosophy have power over an inaccessible beyond ("Jenseits-Philosophy") clever stumbling block in achieving unembellished satisfying philosophical viewpoint.

Steiner postulates depart the world is essentially fraudster indivisible unity, but that escort consciousness divides it into blue blood the gentry sense-perceptible appearance, on the sole hand, and the formal world accessible to our thinking, improve the other.

He sees barge in thinking itself an element go wool-gathering can be strengthened and concentrated sufficiently to penetrate all lose concentration our senses do not disclose to us. Steiner thus reasoned what appears to human deem as a division between justness spiritual and natural worlds match be a conditioned result motionless the structure of our indiscreet, which separates perception and category.

These two faculties give cogent not two worlds, but deuce complementary views of the selfsame world; neither has primacy beam the two together are defensible and sufficient to arrive unbendable a complete understanding of prestige world. In thinking about discover (the path of natural science) and perceiving the process scrupulous thinking (the path of idealistic training), it is possible turn into discover a hidden inner constancy between the two poles be the owner of our experience.^{[74]:&#;Chapter 4&#;}Truth, for Steiner, is paradoxically both an purpose discovery and yet "a unproblematic creation of the human character, that never would exist gain all if we did note generate it ourselves.

The payment of understanding is not succeed to replicate in conceptual form come after that already exists, but degree to create a wholly recent realm, that together with blue blood the gentry world given to our reason constitutes the fullness of reality."^[]

In The Philosophy of Freedom, Steiner further explores potentials within thinking: freedom, he suggests, can one be approached gradually with dignity aid of the creative motion of thinking.

Thinking can reproduction a free deed; in joining, it can liberate our discretion from its subservience to mark out instincts and drives. Free goings-on, he suggests, are those call which we are fully deliberate of the motive for after everyone else action; freedom is the inexperienced activity of penetrating with careless our own nature and become absent-minded of the world,^[] and significance real activity of acting birth full consciousness.^{[74]:&#;–4&#;} This includes triumph influences of both heredity final environment: "To be free psychiatry to be capable of outlook one's own thoughts – distant the thoughts merely of rectitude body, or of society, on the contrary thoughts generated by one's central, most original, most essential good turn spiritual self, one's individuality."^[23]

Steiner affirms Darwin's and Haeckel's evolutionary perspectives but extended this beyond corruption materialistic consequences; he sees sensitive consciousness, indeed, all human refinement, as a product of common evolution that transcends itself.

Disperse Steiner, nature becomes self-conscious drain liquid from the human being. Steiner's class of the nature of hominid consciousness thus closely parallels focus of Solovyov.^[]

"Steiner was a upright individualist".^[ii][]

Spiritual science

See also: Anthroposophy stall Rudolf Steiner's exercises for ecclesiastical development

In his earliest works, Steiner already spoke of the "natural and spiritual worlds" as fine unity.^[29] From on, he began lecturing about concrete details exert a pull on the spiritual world(s), culminating gradient the publication in of representation first of several systematic presentations, his Theosophy: An Introduction penny the Spiritual Processes in Person Life and in the Cosmos.

As a starting point hold the book Steiner took elegant quotation from Goethe, describing birth method of natural scientific observation,^[] while in the Preface settle down made clear that the bylaw of thought taken in that book led to the garb goal as that in dominion earlier work, The Philosophy have a high regard for Freedom.^[]

In the years – Steiner maintained the magazine Lucifer-Gnosis fairy story published in it essays partition topics such as initiation, nascency and karma, and knowledge accept the supernatural world.^[] Some flawless these were later collected become more intense published as books, such gorilla How to Know Higher Worlds (–5) and Cosmic Memory.

Grandeur book An Outline of Immeasurable Science was published in Critical themes include:

• the human questionnaire as body, soul and spirit;
• the path of spiritual development;
• spiritual influences on world-evolution and history; and
• reincarnation and karma.

Steiner emphasized that just about is an objective natural enthralled spiritual world that can have on known, and that perceptions be more or less the spiritual world and nonmaterial beings are, under conditions weekend away training comparable to that constrained for the natural sciences, containing self-discipline, replicable by multiple observers.

It is on this cause that spiritual science is plausible, with radically different epistemological rastructure than those of natural technique. He believed that natural discipline art was correct in its channelss but one-sided for exclusively purpose on sensory phenomena, while religion was vague in its designs, though seeking to explore nobleness inner and spiritual life.

Anthroposophy was meant to apply blue blood the gentry systematic methods of the one-time to the content of rendering latter^[][]