The Science of Knowing
GA 2
III. The Task of Science
[ 1 ] Ultimately it is true for all science what Goethe expressed so aptly with the words: “In and for itself, theory e1Theorie. In German, this word still connotes more of the sense of the Greek original: what thinking “sees.” –Ed. is worth nothing, except insofar as it makes us believe in the interconnections of phenomena.” Through science we are always bringing separate facts of our experience into a connection with each other. In inorganic nature we see causes and effects as separate from each other, and we seek their connections in the appropriate sciences. In the organic world we perceive species and genera of organisms and try to determine their mutual relationships. In history we are confronted with the individual cultural epochs of humanity; we try to recognize the inner dependency of one stage of development upon the other. Thus each science has to work within a particular domain of phenomena in the sense of the Goethean principle articulated above.
[ 2 ] Each science has its own area in which it seeks the interconnections of phenomena. But there still remains a great polarity in our scientific efforts: between the ideal e2Throughout this book “ideal” usually means “in the form of ideas.” –Ed. world achieved by the sciences on the one hand and the objects that underlie it on the other. There must be a science that also elucidates the interrelationships here. The ideal and the real world, the polarity of idea and reality, these are the subject of such a science. These opposites must also be known in their interrelationship.
[ 3 ] To seek these relationships is the purpose of the following discussion. The existence of science on the one hand, and nature and history on the other are to be brought into a relationship. What significance is there in the mirroring of the outer world in human consciousness; what connection exists between our thinking about the objects of reality and these objects themselves?
3. Die Aufgabe unserer Wissenschaft
[ 1 ] Von aller Wissenschaft gilt zuletzt das, was Goethe so bezeichnend mit den Worten ausspricht: «Die Theorie an und für sich ist nichts nütze, als insofern sie uns an den Zusammenhang der Erscheinungen glauben macht.» Stets bringen wir durch die Wissenschaft getrennte Tatsachen der Erfahrung in einen Zusammenhang. Wir sehen in der unorganischen Natur Ursachen und Wirkungen getrennt und suchen nach deren Zusammenhang in den entsprechenden Wissenschaften. Wir nehmen in der organischen Welt Arten und Gattungen von Organismen wahr und bemühen uns, die gegenseitigen Verhältnisse derselben festzustellen. In der Geschichte treten uns einzelne Kulturepochen der Menschheit gegenüber; wir bemühen uns, die innere Abhängigkeit der einen Entwickelungsstufe von der andern zu erkennen. So hat jede Wissenschaft in einem bestimmten Erscheinungsgebiete im Sinne des obigen Goetheschen Satzes zu wirken.
[ 2 ] Jede Wissenschaft hat ihr Gebiet, auf dem sie den Zusammenhang der Erscheinungen sucht. Dann bleibt noch immer ein großer Gegensatz in unseren wissenschaftlichen Bemühungen bestehen: die durch die Wissenschaften gewonnene ideelle Welt einerseits und die ihr zugrunde liegenden Gegenstände andererseits. Es muß eine Wissenschaft geben, die auch hier die gegenseitigen Beziehungen klarlegt. Die ideelle und reale Welt, der Gegensatz von Idee und Wirklichkeit, sind die Aufgabe einer solchen Wissenschaft. Auch diese Gegensätze müssen in ihrer gegenseitigen Beziehung erkannt werden.
[ 3 ] Diese Beziehungen zu suchen, ist der Zweck der folgenden Ausführungen. Die Tatsache der Wissenschaft einerseits und die Natur und Geschichte andererseits sind in ein Verhältnis zu bringen. Was für eine Bedeutung hat die Spiegelung der Außenwelt in dem menschlichen Bewußtsein, welche Beziehung besteht zwischen unserem Denken über die Gegenstände der Wirklichkeit und den letzteren selbst?
3. The task of our science
[ 1 ] For all science, what Goethe so characteristically expresses with the words: "Theory in and of itself is of no use except in so far as it makes us believe in the connection of phenomena." We always bring separate facts of experience into a context through science. We see causes and effects separately in inorganic nature and search for their connection in the corresponding sciences. In the organic world we perceive species and genera of organisms and endeavor to determine their mutual relationships. In history we are confronted with individual cultural epochs of mankind; we endeavour to recognize the inner dependence of one stage of development on the other. In this way, every science has to work in a certain field of manifestation in the sense of Goethe's sentence above.
[ 2 ] Each science has its field in which it seeks the connection between phenomena. Then there still remains a great contrast in our scientific endeavors: the ideal world gained through the sciences on the one hand and the objects underlying it on the other. There must be a science that clarifies the mutual relationships here as well. The ideal and the real world, the contrast between idea and reality, are the task of such a science. These opposites must also be recognized in their mutual relationship.
[ 3 ] The purpose of the following remarks is to seek these relationships. The fact of science on the one hand and nature and history on the other are to be brought into a relationship. What is the significance of the reflection of the external world in human consciousness, what is the relationship between our thinking about the objects of reality and the latter themselves?