As a young man, Steiner already supported the independence of educational institutions from governmental control. In 1907, he wrote a long essay, titled Education in the Light of Spiritual Science, in which he described the major phases of child development and suggested that these would be the basis of a healthy approach to education. In 1919 Emil Molt, on behalf of workers of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, invited him to lecture on the topic of education. This, and subsequent lectures, formed the basis fo ...

See also:

Rudolf Steiner, Rudolf Steiner - Goethean scholar philosopher phenomenologist of spirit and sense perception, Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner the activist and the threefold nature of social life, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner's outlook on social history, Rudolf Steiner - The three kinds of social separations Steiner wanted strengthened, Rudolf Steiner - Education's relation to the state and the economy, Rudolf Steiner - Liberty Equality Fraternity, Rudolf Steiner - Architecture eurythmy and free spiritual culture, Rudolf Steiner - Weleda biodynamic farming Camphill, Rudolf Steiner - A few aspects of Steiner's way of thinking, Rudolf Steiner - Breadth of Activity, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism, Rudolf Steiner - Philosophical debate, Rudolf Steiner - Selected bibliography

Read more here: » Rudolf Steiner: Encyclopedia II - Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education

According to Steiner, a real spiritual world exists out of which the material one gradually condensed, and evolved. The spiritual world, Steiner held, can in the right circumstances be researched through direct experience, by persons practicing rigorous forms of ethical and cognitive self-discipline. Steiner described many exercises he said were suited to strengthening such self-discipline. Details about the spiritual world, he said, could on such a basis be dis ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - See Also

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking

Anthroposophy's combination of clearly thought-through understanding with spiritual content is novel and thus can be controversial. Though spiritually based, it is an approach that strongly emphasizes individual freedom. Still, some critics maintain that some anthroposophists tend to elevate Steiner's personal opinions to the level of absolute truths. Supporters claim that if there is a degree of truth to this criticism, most of the blame belongs not to Steiner, but to a few of his students. They point out that Steiner frequently asked that everything he said be tested ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - See Also

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy

Some critics maintain that some anthroposophists tend to elevate Steiner's personal opinions to the level of absolute truths. Supporters claim that if there is a degree of truth to this criticism, most of the blame belongs not to Steiner, but to a few of his students. They point out that Steiner frequently asked that everything he said be tested by sound reason, and not to be taken on faith or authority. A fundamental question underlying the modern response to 'spiritual science' is: Is it possible for one's thinking to be both scient ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critical views

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy

2005-04-23

The Epistemic basis for Anthroposophy is contained in the seminal work, The Philosophy of Freedom, as well as in Steiner's doctoral thesis, Truth and Science. These and several other early books by Steiner anticipated 20th century continental philosophy's gradual overcoming of Cartesian idealism and of Kantian subjectivism. Like Edmund Husserl and Ortega y Gasset, Steiner was profoundly influenced by the works of Franz Brentano (whose lectures he had heard as a student at the University of Vienna) and had read Wilhelm Dilthey i ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critical views

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy

According to Steiner, a real spiritual world exists out of which the material one gradually condensed, and evolved. The spiritual world, Steiner held, can in the right circumstances be researched through direct experience, by persons practicing rigorous forms of ethical and cognitive self-discipline. Steiner described many exercises he said were suited to strengthening such self-discipline. Details about the spiritual world, he said, could on such a basis be dis ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critical views

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking

Anthroposophy, though appreciative of all religions and cultural developments, emphasizes recent Western (rather than older Hindu or Buddhist) esoteric thought as being more appropriate to contemporary needs, and perceives Christ and His mission on earth as having a particularly important place in human evolution, though these are not viewed in the same way as in the mainstream Christian churches. Steiner emphasized that the being that manifests in Christianity also manifests in all faiths and religions; it is the being that unifies all reli ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - See Also

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Description

Anthroposophy, though appreciative of all religions and cultural developments, emphasizes recent Western (rather than older Hindu or Buddhist) esoteric thought as being more appropriate to contemporary needs, and perceives Christ and His mission on earth as having a particularly important place in human evolution, though these are not viewed in the same way as in the mainstream Christian churches. Steiner emphasized that the being that manifests in Christianity also manifests in all faiths and religions; it is the being that unifies all reli ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critical views

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Description

For a period after World War I, Steiner was extremely active and well-known in Germany in part because in many places he gave lectures on social questions. A petition expressing his basic social ideas (signed by Herman Hesse, among others) was very widely circulated. His main book on social questions, Die Kernpunkte der Sozialen Frage (available in English today as Toward Social Renewal) sold tens of thousands of copies. Today around the world there are a number of innovative banks, companies, charitable institutions, an ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - See Also

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy

Anthroposophy explicitly extends natural science's mandate - to study the world as external observers (a mandate which has been shaken by quantum mechanics' rejection of the possibility of splitting the observer from the observed phenomena) - to explore human experience from within, as well. It postulates that, as we have learned over centuries and even millenia to treat our experience of the outer world in a clear and systematic way, w ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critical views

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science

For a period after World War I, Steiner was extremely active and well-known in Germany in part because in many places he gave lectures on social questions. A petition expressing his basic social ideas (signed by Herman Hesse, among others) was very widely circulated. His main book on social questions, Die Kernpunkte der Sozialen Frage (available in English today as Toward Social Renewal) sold tens of thousands of copies. Today around the world there are a number of innovative banks, companies, charitable institutions, an ...

See also:

Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - History, Anthroposophy - Description, Anthroposophy - Place in Western Philosophy, Anthroposophy - Relationship to Natural Science, Anthroposophy - Applications, Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Steiner's Outlook on Social History, Anthroposophy - Social Threefolding, Anthroposophy - Aspects of Anthroposophic Thinking, Anthroposophy - Successes of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critiques of Anthroposophy, Anthroposophy - Critical views

Read more here: » Anthroposophy: Encyclopedia II - Anthroposophy - Social Goals of Anthroposophy

A philosophic basis rooted in a practical sensibility yielded continuations to his work. In 1921, pharmacists and physicians gathered under Steiner's guidance to create a pharmaceutical company called Weleda, which now distributes natural medical products worldwide. In 1924, a series of lectures to a group of farmers concerned about the destructive trend of "scientific farming" originated the practice of biodynamic agriculture, which is now practiced throughout much of Europe, North America, and Australasia. Biodynamic farming is not ...

See also:

Rudolf Steiner, Rudolf Steiner - Goethean scholar, philosopher, phenomenologist of spirit and sense perception, Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner the activist and the threefold nature of social life, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner's outlook on social history, Rudolf Steiner - The three kinds of social separations Steiner wanted strengthened, Rudolf Steiner - Education's relation to the state and the economy, Rudolf Steiner - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Rudolf Steiner - Architecture, eurythmy and free spiritual culture, Rudolf Steiner - Weleda, biodynamic farming, Camphill, Rudolf Steiner - A few aspects of Steiner's way of thinking, Rudolf Steiner - Breadth of Activity, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism, Rudolf Steiner - Philosophical debate, Rudolf Steiner - Selected bibliography

Read more here: » Rudolf Steiner: Encyclopedia II - Rudolf Steiner - Weleda, biodynamic farming, Camphill

A philosophic basis rooted in a practical sensibility yielded continuations to his work. In 1921, pharmacists and physicians gathered under Steiner's guidance to create a pharmaceutical company called Weleda, which now distributes natural medical products worldwide. In 1924, a series of lectures to a group of farmers concerned about the destructive trend of "scientific farming" originated the practice of biodynamic agriculture, which is now practiced throughout much of Europe, North America, and Australasia. Biodynamic farming is not ...

See also:

Rudolf Steiner, Rudolf Steiner - Goethean scholar philosopher phenomenologist of spirit and sense perception, Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner the activist and the threefold nature of social life, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner's outlook on social history, Rudolf Steiner - The three kinds of social separations Steiner wanted strengthened, Rudolf Steiner - Education's relation to the state and the economy, Rudolf Steiner - Liberty Equality Fraternity, Rudolf Steiner - Architecture eurythmy and free spiritual culture, Rudolf Steiner - Weleda biodynamic farming Camphill, Rudolf Steiner - A few aspects of Steiner's way of thinking, Rudolf Steiner - Breadth of Activity, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism, Rudolf Steiner - Philosophical debate, Rudolf Steiner - Selected bibliography

Read more here: » Rudolf Steiner: Encyclopedia II - Rudolf Steiner - Weleda biodynamic farming Camphill

According to homeopathic lore, Hahnemann began developing the homeopathic method after coming upon the idea that "like cures like" while translating a work on malaria. Upon reaching a passage stating that quinine was an effective treatment because it was bitter and astringent, Hahnemann felt this implausible because there were many other substances that were equally bitter yet lacked any therapeutic value. To better understand the effects of quinine, he decided to take it himself and observed that his reactions were similar to the symptom ...

See also:

Homeopathy, Homeopathy - Basic principles, Homeopathy - Theory of disease, Homeopathy - The Law of Similars, Homeopathy - The Theory of Infinitesimals, Homeopathy - Chronic disease, Homeopathy - History, Homeopathy - Homeopathy around the world, Homeopathy - Diversity, Homeopathy - Pragmatism versus mysticism, Homeopathy - Classical versus non-classical homeopathy, Homeopathy - The popularity of homeopathy, Homeopathy - The scientific validity of homeopathy, Homeopathy - The status quo, Homeopathy - Misconceptions about homeopathy, Homeopathy - Composition of homeopathic remedies, Homeopathy - Homeopathy and vaccination, Homeopathy - Safety of homeopathic treatment

Read more here: » Homeopathy: Encyclopedia II - Homeopathy - History

The largest certification organisation for biodynamic farms is Demeter International and its country organisations. Other organisations exist; in the USA this has led to the BDA (Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc.) who are responsible for the Demeter system in the U.S. into trademarking the term biodynamic in the USA to stop other organisations using it. The BDA and Demeter believe that the original guidelines set by Steiner are are to be followed by the book and no further work or alterations should be made to his basic ideas. In France Biodivin certifies Biodynam ...

See also:

Biodynamic agriculture, Biodynamic agriculture - General characteristics, Biodynamic agriculture - Fertilizers, Biodynamic agriculture - Field preparations, Biodynamic agriculture - Compost preparations, Biodynamic agriculture - Homeopathic Preparations, Biodynamic agriculture - Dealing with pests and weeds, Biodynamic agriculture - Skeptical view, Biodynamic agriculture - Certification and guarding organizations, Biodynamic agriculture - Rival organizations, Biodynamic agriculture - Sources

Read more here: » Biodynamic agriculture: Encyclopedia II - Biodynamic agriculture - Certification and guarding organizations

Steiner developed an organic style of architecture for the design and construction of some seventeen buildings. The most significant of these are the first and second Goetheanums. These two structures, both built in Dornach, Switzerland (the first beginning in 1913), were intended to house a University for Spiritual Science. The first Goetheanum was burned down by arsonists on New Year's eve 1922. Several surrounding buildings he d ...

See also:

Rudolf Steiner, Rudolf Steiner - Goethean scholar, philosopher, phenomenologist of spirit and sense perception, Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner the activist and the threefold nature of social life, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner's outlook on social history, Rudolf Steiner - The three kinds of social separations Steiner wanted strengthened, Rudolf Steiner - Education's relation to the state and the economy, Rudolf Steiner - Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Rudolf Steiner - Architecture, eurythmy and free spiritual culture, Rudolf Steiner - Weleda, biodynamic farming, Camphill, Rudolf Steiner - A few aspects of Steiner's way of thinking, Rudolf Steiner - Breadth of Activity, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism, Rudolf Steiner - Philosophical debate, Rudolf Steiner - Selected bibliography

Read more here: » Rudolf Steiner: Encyclopedia II - Rudolf Steiner - Architecture, eurythmy and free spiritual culture

Steiner developed an organic style of architecture for the design and construction of some seventeen buildings. The most significant of these are the first and second Goetheanums. These two structures, both built in Dornach, Switzerland (the first beginning in 1913), were intended to house a University for Spiritual Science. The first Goetheanum was burned down by arsonists on New Year's eve 1922. Several surrounding buildings he de ...

See also:

Rudolf Steiner, Rudolf Steiner - Goethean scholar philosopher phenomenologist of spirit and sense perception, Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner the activist and the threefold nature of social life, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner's outlook on social history, Rudolf Steiner - The three kinds of social separations Steiner wanted strengthened, Rudolf Steiner - Education's relation to the state and the economy, Rudolf Steiner - Liberty Equality Fraternity, Rudolf Steiner - Architecture eurythmy and free spiritual culture, Rudolf Steiner - Weleda biodynamic farming Camphill, Rudolf Steiner - A few aspects of Steiner's way of thinking, Rudolf Steiner - Breadth of Activity, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism, Rudolf Steiner - Philosophical debate, Rudolf Steiner - Selected bibliography

Read more here: » Rudolf Steiner: Encyclopedia II - Rudolf Steiner - Architecture eurythmy and free spiritual culture

The largest certification organisation for biodynamic farms is Demeter International and its country organisations. Other organisations exist; in the USA this has led to the BDA (Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, Inc.) who are responsible for the Demeter system in the U.S. into trademarking the term biodynamic in the USA to stop other organisations using it. The BDA and Demeter believe that the original guidelines set by Steiner are to be followed by the book and no further work or alterations should be made to his basic ideas. In France Biodivin certifies Biodynam ...

See also:

Biodynamic agriculture, Biodynamic agriculture - General characteristics, Biodynamic agriculture - Fertilizers, Biodynamic agriculture - Field preparations, Biodynamic agriculture - Compost preparations, Biodynamic agriculture - Homeopathic Preparations, Biodynamic agriculture - Dealing with pests and weeds, Biodynamic agriculture - Skeptical view, Biodynamic agriculture - Certification and guarding organizations, Biodynamic agriculture - Rival organizations, Biodynamic agriculture - Sources

Read more here: » Biodynamic agriculture: Encyclopedia II - Biodynamic agriculture - Certification and guarding organizations

Though the emphasis anthroposophists place on individual freedom and thought limits the tendency toward group-think and prevents anthroposophy from turning into a cult - if a cult is something that deprives its members of spiritual and intellectual freedom - a critical approach to the works of Steiner is not as common as some would like and not always welcomed within some Anthroposophic circles. Given Steiner's clear statements about political democracy being the proper kind of State for humanity, his consistent and emphatic support for libe ...

See also:

Rudolf Steiner, Rudolf Steiner - Goethean scholar philosopher phenomenologist of spirit and sense perception, Rudolf Steiner - Waldorf education, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner the activist and the threefold nature of social life, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner's outlook on social history, Rudolf Steiner - The three kinds of social separations Steiner wanted strengthened, Rudolf Steiner - Education's relation to the state and the economy, Rudolf Steiner - Liberty Equality Fraternity, Rudolf Steiner - Architecture eurythmy and free spiritual culture, Rudolf Steiner - Weleda biodynamic farming Camphill, Rudolf Steiner - A few aspects of Steiner's way of thinking, Rudolf Steiner - Breadth of Activity, Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism, Rudolf Steiner - Philosophical debate, Rudolf Steiner - Selected bibliography

Read more here: » Rudolf Steiner: Encyclopedia II - Rudolf Steiner - Steiner criticism

Homeopathy - Composition of homeopathic remedies. A common misconception is that homeopathic remedies use only natural, and thus presumed by some to be safe, herbal components (akin to herbology). While herbs are used in homeopathy, there is also use of non-biological substances (such as salts) and components of animal origin, such as duck liver in the popular remedy oscillococcinum. Homeopathy also uses substances of human origin, called nosodes. Some people have the opposite misconception, that homeopathic remedies a ...

See also:

Homeopathy, Homeopathy - Basic principles, Homeopathy - Theory of disease, Homeopathy - The Law of Similars, Homeopathy - The Theory of Infinitesimals, Homeopathy - Chronic disease, Homeopathy - History, Homeopathy - Homeopathy around the world, Homeopathy - Diversity, Homeopathy - Pragmatism versus mysticism, Homeopathy - Classical versus non-classical homeopathy, Homeopathy - The popularity of homeopathy, Homeopathy - The scientific validity of homeopathy, Homeopathy - The status quo, Homeopathy - Misconceptions about homeopathy, Homeopathy - Composition of homeopathic remedies, Homeopathy - Homeopathy and vaccination, Homeopathy - Safety of homeopathic treatment

Read more here: » Homeopathy: Encyclopedia II - Homeopathy - Misconceptions about homeopathy