Philosophical Freedom - Rudolf Steiner

At the early age of eight, the Austrian philosopher and educator Rudolf Steiner (1861 –1925) was already pondering upon the relationship between the invisible and the visible. He describes how to him the spiritual world was as real as the physical one but that he needed some foundation for his suppositions. Steiner studied mathematics, natural sciences and philosophy at the university of Vienna and acquainted himself in particular with the works of Immanuel Kant. He seemed not to be able, however, to find a train of thought which he could develop further. Steiner’s abilities revealed themselves when he was given the task of editing the scientific writings of the German philosopher and writer J.W.Goethe. The approach in the texts, based on an intensive and unselfish observation of nature, affected Steiner deeply and became an inspiration for his work.

Steiner continued his studies of consciousness in order to find a way to prove that intensive thought leads to a consciousness of spiritual reality. He presented his ideas in the volume The Philosophy of Freedom (1894) but was disappointed at the rather negative response it received. In 1902, Steiner joined the theosophists, who claimed than man was able to gain knowledge of divinity and the cosmos through meditation and occult experiences. However he soon left this group and in 1912 founded the Anthroposophical society, whose aim was “the cultivation of completely undogmatic spiritual research ”. Steiner’s anthroposophy, based on theosophical and Christian ideas, teaches that man can reach consciousness of the spiritual reality by enhancing the basic forces of the soul: thought, feeling, and will. Steiner produced close to 30 volumes of writings and gave 6 000 lectures on education, medicine, agriculture, social matters, and art. Kiasma exhibits a selection of drawings made by Rudolf Steiner in conjunction with his lectures.

Lecture drawings by Rudolf Steiner 22 June – 17 September