Occult Science
GA 13
Preface, Seventh to Fifteenth Edition
[ 1 ] In this new edition of An Outline of Occult Science, I have almost entirely reshaped the first chapter, “The Character of Occult Science.” I believe that, as a result, there will now be less cause for the misunderstandings I saw arising from the earlier wording of this chapter. From many sides I could hear, “Other sciences offer proofs; what here is offered as science says simply, ‘Occult Science states this or that.’ ” It is quite natural for such prejudice to arise, since the proofs of supersensible cognition cannot obtrude themselves upon us with the exposition as is the case with the exposition of relationships of sense-perceptible reality. I have, however, sought, by means of a revision of the first chapter of this book, to make clearer than I seem to have succeeded in doing in the earlier editions, that we have to contend here merely with prejudice.—In the other chapters I have attempted, through amplifications, to elaborate some items of my presentation more clearly. Throughout the entire book I have taken pains to make numerous changes in the wording of the content, which seemed to me necessary after renewed experience of the subject matter.
RUDOLF STEINER
Berlin, May 1920
Vorbemerkungen zur 15. Auflage
[ 1 ] Für diese Neuauflage meiner «Geheimwissenschaft im Umriß» habe ich den ersten Abschnitt «Charakter der Geheimwissenschaft» fast ganz neu gestaltet. Ich glaube, daß dadurch nun weniger zu den Mißverständnissen Anlaß sein wird, die ich aus der früheren Fassung dieses Abschnittes heraus habe entstehen sehen. Von vielen Seiten konnte ich hören: Andere Wissenschaften beweisen; was hier als Wissenschaft sich gibt, sagt einfach: die Geheimwissenschaft stellt dies oder jenes fest. Ein solches Vorurteil stellt sich naturgemäß ein, da ja das Beweisende der übersinnlichen Erkenntnis sich durch die Darstellung nicht so aufdrängen kann wie bei der Darlegung von Zusammenhängen der sinnenfälligen Wirklichkeit. Daß man es aber nur mit einem Vorurteil zu tun hat, wollte ich durch die Umarbeitung des ersten Abschnittes dieses Buches deutlicher machen, als es mir in früheren Auflagen gelungen zu sein scheint. In den andern Teilen des Buches habe ich durch Ergänzungen des Inhaltes manches Dargestellte schärfer herauszuarbeiten gesucht. Durch das Ganze hindurch habe ich mich bemüht, an zahlreichen Stellen Änderungen in der Einkleidung des Inhalts vorzunehmen, die mir das wiederholte Durchleben des Dargestellten notwendig erscheinen ließ.
Berlin, Mai 1920
Rudolf Steiner
Preliminary remarks on the 15th edition
[ 1 ] For this new edition of my "Secret Science in Outline" I have almost completely redesigned the first section "Character of Secret Science". I believe that this will now give less cause for the misunderstandings that I have seen arise from the earlier version of this section. I could hear from many sides: Other sciences prove; what passes itself off here as science simply says: secret science establishes this or that. Such a prejudice naturally arises, since the proof of supersensible knowledge cannot impose itself through the presentation in the same way as in the presentation of the connections of sensible reality. However, by reworking the first section of this book, I wanted to make it clearer than I seem to have succeeded in doing in earlier editions that we are only dealing with a prejudice. In the other parts of the book I have tried to bring out more clearly some of what is presented by adding to the content. Throughout the book, I have endeavored to make changes to the content in numerous places, which made it seem necessary for me to relive the content.
Berlin, May 1920
Rudolf Steiner