Goethean Science site

This magical tale tells of a group of people whose world has turned upside-down and who must bring about spiritual and social renewal. It still sparkles as it did when originally told by Goethe to a group of fellow travelers during the French revolution.

Another edition of this Goethean classic, this time from a reprint of an article in Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country, October, 1832. This edition has an introduction, and commentary throughout the Tale.

Rudolf Steiner went to Weimar to edit the scientific writings of Goethe for the Kürschner edition of the “German National Literature.” Along with sorting and arranging Goethe's works, Steiner wrote introductions and commentaries that have been collected and published in English translation under the titles Goethe the Scientist, Goethean Science, or Nature's Open Secret. It was originally published in German as, Einleitung Zu Goethes Naturwissenschaftliche Schriften.

Chapter titles:
        How Goethe's Theory of Metamorphosis Arose,
        How Goethe's Thoughts on the Development of the Animals Arose,
        The Nature and Significance of Goethe's Writings on Organic Morphology,
        Concluding Remarks on Goethe's Morphological Views,
        Goethe's Way of Knowledge,
        The Arrangement of Goethe's Natural-scientific Writings,
        From Art to Science,
        Goethe's Epistemology,
        Knowing and Human Action in the Light of Goethean Way of Thinking,
        Relationship of the Goethean Way of Thinking to Other Views,
        Goethe and Mathematics,
        Goethe's Basic Geological Principle,
        Goethe's Meteorological Conceptions,
        Goethe and Natural-scientific Illusionism,
        Goethe as Thinker and Investigator,
        Goethe Against Atomism, and
        Goethe's World View in his “Aphorisms in Prose.”

GA 1 Selections ...

Goethes Naturwissenschaftliche Schriften

In den Jahren 1884–1897 besorgte Rudolf Steiner für Kürschners «Deutsche National-Litteratur» die Herausgabe von Goethes Naturwissenschaftlichen Schriften (siehe GA 1 a-e).

Sämtliche seiner dazu verfaßten Einleitungen sind in diesem Band enthalten. Die intensive Beschäftigung mit der Anschauungsweise Goethes war der Ausgangspunkt für Steiners erkenntnistheoretische Arbeiten und hat sich auch auf sein gesamtes Werk ausgewirkt.

Goethean Science

This book is a cornerstone of the foundations of Anthroposophy. Consider this famous passage from it: “Inasmuch as thinking takes possession of the idea, thinking fuses with the primal ground of world existence; what is at work outside enters into the spirit of man: he becomes one with objective reality in its highest potency. Becoming aware of the idea within reality is the true communion of man.”

Side by Side Compare

The books in GA 1 can be compared side by side in the same browser window. Select any combination of chapters, prefaces, appendixes, etc., from any of the editions found here.

This book first appeared in 1886. In it, Steiner approaches the epistemological question, “How Does One Know?” His point of departure is the more-or-less unexpressed epistemology of Goethe in his scientific writings and elsewhere. This is a good introduction to Goethe's methodology.

The basis of a theory of the Goethean world view, with special reference to Schiller, as well as an addition to Goethe's "Scientific Writings" in Kürschner's "German National Literature." Originally published in German as, Grundlinien Einer Erkenntnistheorie der Goetheschen Weltanschauung mit besonderer Ruecksicht auf Schiller. Zugleich eine Zugabe zu Goethes “Naturwissenschaftlichen Schriften“ in Kuerschners “Deutsche National-Litteratur.“

The main sections of the book are:
       Preliminary Questions,
       Experience, Thought, Knowledge,
       The Science of Nature,
       The Spiritual/Cultural Sciences,
       Conclusion.

GA 2 Selections ...

Grundlinien einer Erkenntnistheorie der Goetheschen Weltanschauung, mit besonderer Rücksicht auf Schiller

Zu dieser seiner frühen Schrift schreibt Rudolf Steiner fast vierzig Jahre nach ihrem Entstehen folgendes: «Indem ich sie heute wieder vor mich hinstelle, erscheint sie mir auch als die erkenntnistheoretische Grundlegung und Rechtfertigung von alle dem, was ich später gesagt und veröffentlicht habe. Sie spricht von einem Weg des Erkennens, das den Weg freilegt von der sinnenfälligen Welt in die geistige hinein.»

The Science of Knowing

This edition of The Science of Knowing is a new translation of Grundlinien einer Erkenntnistheorie der Goetheschen Weltanschauung mit besonderer Rücksicht auf Schiller (Bibliographie No. 2), 7th edition GAS 1979, published by the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland. This translation, from the original German, is by William Lindeman. A prior translation is available under the title A Theory of Knowledge, published by the Anthroposophic Press.

The Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe's World Conception

In this book, first appearing in 1886, Steiner approaches the epistemological question, how does one know? His point of departure in the more-or-less unexpressed epistemology of Goethe in his scientific writings and elsewhere. This is not a textbook on epistemology, but it is a good introduction to Goethe's methodology.

Side by Side Compare

The books in GA 2 can be compared side by side in the same browser window. Select any combination of chapters, prefaces, appendixes, etc., from any of the editions found here.

Here, Goethe's outlook is presented not only as a self-contained system, but also in connection with the ideas of Schiller and Hegel. A certain emphasis on Platonism is made, and its bearing on Goethe and his outlook. Chapters emphasize Goethe's work, such as the process of metamorphosis, and studies in color. Originally published in German as, Goethes Weltanschauung. Published in English translation under the titles Goethe's Conception of the World and Goethe's World View.

Chapter titles:
       The Position of Goethe in the Evolution of Western Thought
       Goethe and Schiller
       The Platonic Conception of the World
       Consequences of the Platonic View of the World
       Goethe and the Platonic View of the World
       Personality and View of the World
       The Metamorphosis of Phenomena
       Views concerning Nature and the Development of Living Beings
       The Doctrine of Metamorphosis
       The Phenomena of the World of Colour
       Thoughts concerning the Evolutionary History of the Earth
       Observations on Atmospheric Phenomena
       Goethe and Hegel

GA 6 Selections ...

Goethes Weltanschauung

Die Ergebnisse von Steiners langjähriger intensiver Beschäftigung als Herausgeber von Goethes naturwissenschaftlichen Arbeiten erfahren hier eine zusammenfassende Darstellung. Inhalt: Goethes Stellung innerhalb der abendländischen Gedankenentwickelung / Die Anschauungen über Natur und Entwickelung der Lebewesen / Die Betrachtung der Farbenwelt / Gedanken über Entwickelungsgeschichte der Erde und Lufterscheinungen / Goethe und Hegel

Goethe's Conception of the World

First published in 1897 in German as, Goethe's Weltanshauung, this edition is the first English publication of this work, and is the authorised english translation, edited by Harry Collison. Here, Goethe's outlook is presented not only as a self-contained system, but also in connection with the ideas of Schiller and Hegel. A certain emphasis on Platonism is made, and its bearing on Goethe and his outlook. Chapters emphasize Goethe's work, such as the process of metamorphosis, and studies in color.

Goethe's World View

Goethe's outlook is presented here not only as a self-contained system, but also in connection with the ideas of Schiller and Hegel. This edition of Goethe's World View is a new translation by William Lindeman from Goethe's Weltanschauung (Goethe's Conception of the World).

Side by Side Compare

The books in GA 6 can be compared side by side in the same browser window. Select any combination of chapters, prefaces, appendixes, etc., from any of the editions found here.

From the German volume, Goethes Geistesart in ihrer Offenbarung durch seinen “Faust” und durch das “Maerchen Von der Schlange und der Lilie.”

This treatment of Goethe's mystic/esoteric philosophical outlook approaches questions by examining two of his literary masterpieces, Faust and the fairy tale, The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.

GA 22 Selections ...

Goethe's Standard of the Soul

From the German volume, Goethes Geistesart in ihrer Offenbarung durch seinen “Faust” und durch das “Maerchen Von der Schlange und der Lilie.”

This treatment of Goethe's mystic/esoteric philosophical outlook approaches questions by examining two of his literary masterpieces, Faust and the fairy tale, The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.

A lecture, hitherto untranslated given at Dornach on January 24, 1919. It is the seventh of twelve lectures in the volume Goetheanism as an Impulse for Transformation ... Human Science and Social Science. A Turning-point in Modern History. In the collected edition of Rudolf Steiner's works, the volume containing the German texts is entitled, Der Goetheanismus, Ein Umwandlungsimpuls und Auferstehungsgedanke. Menschenwissenschaft und Sozialwissenschaft (Vol. 188 in the Bibliographic Survey, 1961).

This address was given on July 10, 1906 in London, England at the Second Annual Congress of the Federation of European Sections of the Theosophical Society. It has been edited for this printing by the publisher.

The German text is published under the title Die okkulte Grundlage in Goethes Schaffen, Bibl. No. 35 by the Rudolf Steiner-Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland.

Goethe as the Founder of a New Science of Aesthetics is an essay written in 1888: Wien, 9. November 1888 – Autoreferat.

This article was written in 1923 and is included in the volume Der Goetheanum-Gedanke inmitten der Kulturkrisis der Gegenwart, GA 36.

This translation has been authorized for the western hemisphere by agreement with the Rudolf Steiner Nachlassverwaltung, Dornach, Switzerland. The translator is A. H. Parker.