Riddles of Philosophy
Part II
GA 18
Introductory Remarks
[ 1 ] The description of the life of the philosophical spirit from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present time, which has been attempted in this second volume of The Riddles of Philosophy, cannot be of the same character as the survey of the works of the preceding thinkers. This survey had to remain within the most restricted circle of the philosophical problems. The last sixty years represent the age in which the mode of conception of natural science attempted, from different points of view, to shake the foundation on which philosophy formerly stood. During this time, the view arose that maintained that the results of natural science shed the necessary light on the question of man's nature, his relation to the world and other riddles of existence, which the intellectual work of philosophy had formerly sought to supply. Many thinkers who wanted to serve philosophy now tried to imitate the mode of investigation of natural science. Others laid the foundation for their world conception, not in the fashion of the old philosophical mode of thinking, but simply by taking over that basis from the mode of conception of natural science, biology or physiology. Those who meant to preserve the independence of philosophy believed it best to examine thoroughly the results of natural science in order to prevent them from invading the philosophical sphere. It is for this reason necessary, in presenting the philosophical life of this period, to pay attention to the views that, derived from natural science, have been introduced into world conceptions. The significance of these views for philosophy becomes apparent only if one examines the scientific foundations from which they are derived, and if one realizes for oneself the tendencies of scientific thinking according to which they were developed. This situation is given expression in this book by the fact that some parts of it are formulated almost as if a presentation of general natural scientific ideas, and not one of philosophical works, had been intended. The opinion appears to be justified that this method of presentation shows distinctly how thoroughly natural science has influenced the philosophical life of the present time.
[ 2 ] A reader who finds it reconcilable to his mode of thinking to conceive the evolution of the philosophical life along the lines indicated in the introduction of the first volume of this book, and for which the more detailed account of the book has attempted to supply the foundation, will also find it possible to accept the indicated relation between philosophy and natural science in the present age as a necessary phase of its evolution. Through the centuries since the beginning of Greek philosophy this evolution tended to lead the human soul toward the experience of its inner essential forces. With this inner experience the soul became more and more estranged in the world that the knowledge of external nature had erected for itself. A conception of nature arose that is so exclusively concerned with the observation of the external world that it does not show any inclination to include in its world picture what the soul experiences in its inner world. This conception considers it as unjustified to paint the world picture in a way that it would show these inner experiences of the human soul as well as the results of the research of natural science. It characterizes the situation in which philosophy found itself in the second half of the nineteenth century, and in which many currents of thought can still be found in the present time. Such a judgment does not have to be artificially introduced to the study of the philosophy of this age. It can be arrived at by simply observing the facts. The second volume of this book attempts to record this new development, but it has also made it necessary to add to the second edition a final chapter that contains “A Brief Outline of an Approach to Anthroposophy.”
One can be of the opinion that this account does not belong in the framework of the whole book but, in the preface to the first volume, it was announced that the purpose of this presentation “is not only to give a short outline of the history of philosophical problems, but also to discuss these problems and the attempts at their solution through their historical treatment.” The view expressed in this book tries to show that many situations arising from the attempted solutions in the philosophy of the present tend to recognize an element in the inner experience of the human soul that manifests itself in such a way that the exclusive claim of natural science can no longer deny that element a place in the modern world picture. As it is the philosophical conviction of the author of this book that the account of the final chapter deals with soul experiences that are adequate to bring fulfillment to the search of modern philosophy, he feels he was justified in adding this chapter to his presentation. As a result of observation of these philosophies, it seems to the author to be basically characteristic of them and of their historical manifestation that they do not consistently continue their direction toward the goal they are seeking. This direction must lead toward the world conception that is outlined at the end of the book, which aims at a real science of the spirit. The reader who can agree with this can find in this conception something that supplies the solutions to problems that the philosophy of the present time poses without giving answers. If this is true, the content of the last chapter will also throw light on the historical position of modern philosophy.
[ 3 ] The author of this book does not imagine that everyone who can accept the content of the final chapter must necessarily also seek a world conception that replaces philosophy by a view that can no longer be recognized as a philosophy by traditional philosophers. What this book means to show is that philosophy, if it arrives at the point where it understands itself, must lead the spirit to a soul experience that is, to be sure, the fruit of its work, but also grows beyond it. In this way, philosophy retains its significance for everyone who, according to his mode of thinking, must demand a secure intellectual foundation for the results of this soul experience. Whoever can accept these results through a natural sense for truth, is justified in feeling himself on secure ground even if he pays no special attention to a philosophical foundation of these results. But whoever seeks the scientific justification of the world conception that is presented at the end of the book, must follow the path of the philosophical foundation.
[ 4 ] That this path, if it is followed through to its end, leads to the experience of a spiritual world, and that the soul through this experience can become aware of its own spiritual essence through a method that is independent of its experience and knowledge through the sense world, is what the presentation of this book attempts to prove. It was not the author's intention to project this thought as a preconceived idea into his observation of philosophical life. He wanted to search without bias for the conception expressed in this life itself. He has at least endeavored to proceed in this way. He believes that this thought could be best presented by speaking the language of a natural scientist, as it were, in some parts of the book. Only if one is capable of temporarily identifying oneself completely with a certain point of view is it possible to do full justice to it. By this method of deliberately taking the position of a world view, the human soul can most safely obtain the ability to withdraw from it again and enter into modes of conception that have their source in realms that are not comprised by this view of the world.
[ 5 ] The printing of this second volume of The Riddles of Philosophy was about half finished before the great war that mankind is now experiencing broke out. It was finished just as this event began. This is only to indicate what outer events stirred and occupied my soul as the last thoughts included in this book passed before my inner eye.
Rudolf Steiner
September 1, 1914, Berlin
Einleitende Bemerkungen zur Neuauflage 1914
[ 1 ] Die Schilderung des philosophischen Geisteslebens von der Mitte des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts bis zur Gegenwart, welche in diesem zweiten Bande der «Rätsel der Philosophie» versucht worden ist, kann nicht das gleiche Gepräge tragen wie die Überschau über die vorangehenden Denkerarbeiten, die man im ersten Bande findet. - Diese Überschau hat sich im engsten Kreise der philosophischen Fragen gehalten. Die letzten sechzig Jahre sind das Zeitalter, in dem die naturwissenschaftliche Vorstellungsart, von verschiedenen Gesichtspunkten aus, den Boden zu erschüttern beabsichtigt, auf dem vorher die Philosophie stand. Die Anschauung trat in dieser Zeit hervor, daß über das Wesen des Menschen, über sein Verhältnis zur Welt und über andere Daseinsrätsel die Ergebnisse des naturwissenschaftlichen Forschens das Licht verbreiten, das früher durch die philosophische Geistesarbeit gesucht worden ist. Viele Denker, welche der Philosophie jetzt dienen wollten, bemühten sich, die Art ihres Forschens der Naturwissenschaft nachzubilden; andere gestalteten Grundlegendes für ihre Weltanschauung nicht nach Art der alten philosophischen Denkungsart, sondern entnahmen es aus den Anschauungen der Naturforschung, der Biologie, Physiologie. Und diejenigen, welche der Philosophie ihre Selbständigkeit wahren wollten, glaubten das Richtige zu tun, indem sie die Ergebnisse der Naturwissenschaft einer gründlichen Betrachtung unterwarfen, um ihr Eindringen in die Philosophie zu verhindern. Man hat deshalb für die Darstellung des philosophischen Lebens in diesem Zeitalter nötig, die Blicke auf die Ansichten zu richten, die aus der Naturwissenschaft heraus in die Weltanschauungen eingetreten sind. Die Bedeutung dieser Ansichten für die Philosophie tritt nur hervor, wenn man die wissenschaftlichen Unterlagen betrachtet, aus denen sie fließen, und wenn man sich in die Atmosphäre der naturwissenschaftlichen Vorstellungsart versetzt, in der sie zur Entwickelung kommen. Diese Verhältnisse kommen in den Ausführungen dieses Buches dadurch zum Ausdruck, daß manches in demselben fast so gestaltet ist, als ob eine Darstellung allgemeiner naturwissenschaftlicher Ideen und nicht eine solche der philosophischen Arbeiten beabsichtigt wäre. Es kann die Meinung berechtigt erscheinen, daß durch solche Art der Darstellung zum deutlichen Ausdruck komme, wie einflußreich die Naturwissenschaft für das philosophische Leben der Gegenwart geworden ist.
[ 2 ] Wer es mit seiner Denkungsart vereinbar findet, die Entwickelung des philosophischen Lebens so vorzustellen, wie es die orientierende Einleitung über die «Leitlinien der Darstellung» im ersten Bande dieses Buches andeutet und wie es dessen weitere Ausführungen zu begründen versuchen, der wird in dem charakterisierten Verhältnis zwischen Philosophie und Naturerkenntnis im gegenwärtigen Zeitalter ein notwendiges Glied dieser Entwickelung sehen können. Durch die Jahrhunderte hindurch, seit dem Aufkommen der griechischen Philosophie, drängte diese Entwickelung dahin, die Menschenseele zum Erleben ihrer inneren Wesenskräfte zu führen. Mit diesem ihrem inneren Erleben wurde die Seele fremd und fremder in der Welt, welche sich die Erkenntnis der äußeren Natur aufbaute. Es entstand eine Naturanschauung, die so ausschließlich auf die Beobachtung der Außenwelt gerichtet ist, daß sie keinen Trieb fühlt, in ihr Weltbild das aufzunehmen, was die Seele in ihrer inneren Welt erlebt. Dieses Weltbild so zu malen, daß sich in demselben auch diese inneren Erlebnisse der Menschenseele ebenso finden wie die Forschungsergebnisse der Naturwissenschaft, hält diese Anschauung für unberechtigt. Damit ist die Lage gekennzeichnet, in der sich die Philosophie in der zweiten Hälfte des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts befunden hat, und in welcher viele Gedankenrichtungen in der Gegenwart noch stehen. Man braucht das hier Gekennzeichnete nicht künstlich in die Betrachtung der Philosophie dieses Zeitalters hineinzutragen. Man kann es aus den Tatsachen ablesen, welche dieser Betrachtung vorliegen. Im zweiten Band dieses Buches ist dies versucht worden. - Daß ein solcher Versuch unternommen wurde, hat dazu geführt, der zweiten Auflage dieses Buches das Schlußkapitel hinzuzufügen, das eine «skizzenhafte Darstellung des Ausblickes auf eine Anthroposophie» enthält. Man kann die Meinung haben, daß diese Darstellung ganz aus dem Rahmen des in diesem Buche Dargestellten herausfällt. Doch wurde schon in der Vorrede des ersten Bandes gesagt, daß das Ziel dieser Darstellung «nicht nur ist, einen kurzen Abriß der Geschichte der philosophischen Fragen zu geben, sondern über diese Fragen und ihre Lösungsversuche selbst durch ihre geschichtliche Betrachtung zu sprechen». Nun versucht die Betrachtung, die in dem Buche zum Ausdruck kommt, zu erweisen, daß manche Lösungsverhältnisse in der Philosophie der Gegenwart dahin arbeiten, in dem inneren Erleben der Menschenseele etwas zu finden, das in solcher Art sich offenbart, daß ihm im neueren Weltbilde der Platz von der Naturerkenntnis nicht streitig gemacht werden kann. Wenn es des Verfassers dieses Buches philosophische Anschauung ist, daß das in dem Schlußkapitel Dargestellte von Seelenerlebnissen spricht, welche diesem Suchen der neueren Philosophien Erfüllung bringen können, so durfte er wohl dieses Kapitel seiner Darstellung anfügen. Ihm scheint die Beobachtung zu ergehen, daß es zum Grundcharakter dieser Philosophien und zu ihrem geschichtlichen Gepräge gehört; in ihrem Suchen die eigene Richtung nach dem Gesuchten nicht einzuhalten, und daß diese Richtung in die Weltanschauung führen müsse, die am Ende des Buches skizziert ist. Sie will eine wirkliche «Wissenschaft des Geistes» sein. Wer dieses richtig findet, dem wird diese Weltanschauung als das sich zeigen, was die Antwort gibt auf Fragen, welche die Philosophie der Gegenwart stellt, obwohl sie diese Antwort nicht selbst ausspricht. Und ist dieses richtig, dann fällt durch das im Schlußkapitel Gesagte auch Licht auf die geschichtliche Stellung der neueren Philosophie.
[ 3 ] Der Verfasser dieses Buches stellt sich nicht vor, daß, wer sich zu dem im Schlußkapitel Gesagten bekennen kann, der Ansicht sein müsse, es sei eine Weltanschauung notwendig, welche die Philosophie ersetzt durch etwas, was diese selbst nicht mehr als Philosophie ansehen kann. Die Ansicht, die in dem Buche sich aussprechen will, ist vielmehr die, daß die Philosophie, wenn sie dazu kommt, sich wirklich selbst zu verstehen, mit ihrem Geistesfahrzeug landen müsse bei einem seelischen Erleben, das wohl die Frucht ihrer Arbeit ist, das aber über diese Arbeit hinauswächst. Philosophie behält damit ihre Bedeutung für jeden Menschen, der eine sichere geistige Grundlage für die Ergebnisse dieses seelischen Erlebens durch seine Denkungsart fordern muß. Wer sich durch das natürliche Wahrheitsgefühl die Überzeugung von diesen Ergebnissen verschaffen kann, der ist berechtigt, sich auf einem sicheren Boden zu fühlen, auch wenn er einer philosophischen Grundlegung dieser Ergebnisse keine Aufmerksamkeit widmet. Wer die wissenschaftliche Rechtfertigung der Weltanschauung sucht, von der am Ende dieses Buches gesprochen wird, der muß den Weg durch die philosophische Grundlegung nehmen.
[ 4 ] Daß dieser Weg, wenn er zu Ende gegangen wird, zum Erleben in einer geistigen Welt führt, und daß die Seele durch dieses Erleben ihre eigene geistige Wesenheit sich auf eine Art zum Bewußtsein bringen kann, die unabhängig ist von ihrem Erleben und Erkennen durch die Sinnenwelt: das ist, was die Darstellung dieses Buches zu erweisen versucht. Der Darsteller wollte diesen Gedanken nicht als eine vorgefaßte Meinung in die Beobachtung des philosophischen Lebens hineintragen. Er wollte unbefangen die Anschauung aufsuchen, welche aus diesem Leben selbst spricht. Wenigstens war er bestrebt, so zu verfahren. Er glaubt, dieser Gedanke könne in der Darstellung dieses Buches dadurch auf einer ihm angemessenen Grundlage stehen, daß die naturwissenschaftliche Vorstellungsart an manchen Stellen des Buches so ausgesprochen sich findet, als ob sie durch einen Bekenner dieser Vorstellungsart selbst zum Ausdrucke käme. Man wird einer Anschauung nur dann völlige Gerechtigkeit widerfahren lassen können, wenn man sich ganz in sie zu versetzen vermag. Und eben dieses Sichhineinversetzen in eine Weltansicht läßt auch am sichersten die Menschenseele dazu gelangen, wieder aus ihr heraus in Vorstellungsarten zu kommen, welche Gebieten entspringen, die von dieser Weltansicht nicht umfaßt werden.
[ 5 ] Dieser zweite Band der «Rätsel der Philosophie» war bis zur Seite 206 gedruckt vor dem Ausbruch des großen Krieges, den gegenwärtig die Menschheit erlebt. Die Beendigung des Buches fällt in die Zeit dieses Ereignisses. Ich wollte damit nur hindeuten auf dasjenige, was meine Seele von der äußeren Welt her tief bewegt und mich beschäftigt, während die let zten Gedanken vom Inhalte dieses Buches mir durch das Innere ziehen mußten.
Berlin, am 1. September 1914
Rudolf Steiner
Introductory remarks to the new edition of 1914
[ 1 ] The description of philosophical intellectual life from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present, which has been attempted in this second volume of the "Riddles of Philosophy", cannot bear the same stamp as the overview of the preceding thinkers' work found in the first volume. - This overview has remained within the narrowest circle of philosophical questions. The last sixty years are the age in which the scientific mode of conception, from various points of view, intends to shake the ground on which philosophy previously stood. During this period, the view has emerged that the results of scientific research shed light on the nature of man, his relationship to the world and other mysteries of existence, which had previously been sought through philosophical intellectual work. Many thinkers who now wanted to serve philosophy endeavored to model the nature of their research on natural science; others did not formulate the basic elements of their world view in the old philosophical way of thinking, but took them from the views of natural science, biology and physiology. And those who wanted to preserve the independence of philosophy believed they were doing the right thing by subjecting the results of natural science to thorough scrutiny in order to prevent them from penetrating philosophy. It is therefore necessary for the presentation of philosophical life in this age to focus on the views that have entered the worldviews from the natural sciences. The significance of these views for philosophy only becomes apparent if one considers the scientific basis from which they flow and if one places oneself in the atmosphere of the scientific mode of conception in which they are developed. These relations are expressed in the expositions of this book by the fact that much of it is organized almost as if it were intended as a presentation of general scientific ideas rather than of philosophical work. The opinion may be justified that this kind of presentation clearly expresses how influential natural science has become for contemporary philosophical life.
[ 2 ] Those who find it compatible with their way of thinking to imagine the development of philosophical life as indicated in the orienting introduction on the "Guidelines of Representation" in the first volume of this book and as its further explanations attempt to justify, will be able to see in the characterized relationship between philosophy and knowledge of nature in the present age a necessary link in this development. Throughout the centuries, since the advent of Greek philosophy, this development has urged the human soul to experience its inner essential powers. With this inner experience the soul became stranger and stranger in the world, which was built up by the knowledge of external nature. A view of nature arose which is so exclusively directed towards the observation of the outer world that it feels no urge to include in its world picture what the soul experiences in its inner world. To paint this view of the world in such a way that it also contains these inner experiences of the human soul as well as the research results of natural science, considers this view to be unjustified. This characterizes the situation in which philosophy found itself in the second half of the nineteenth century, and in which many schools of thought still stand today. There is no need to artificially introduce what has been characterized here into the consideration of the philosophy of this age. It can be gleaned from the facts which are available for this consideration. This has been attempted in the second volume of this book. - The fact that such an attempt has been made has led to the addition to the second edition of this book of a concluding chapter containing a "sketchy outline of the outlook for an anthroposophy". One may be of the opinion that this presentation falls completely outside the scope of what is presented in this book. However, it was already stated in the preface to the first volume that the aim of this presentation "is not only to give a brief outline of the history of philosophical questions, but to speak about these questions and their attempts at solutions themselves through their historical consideration". Now the consideration expressed in the book attempts to prove that some solutions in contemporary philosophy work towards finding something in the inner experience of the human soul that reveals itself in such a way that it cannot be denied the place of knowledge of nature in the newer world view. If it is the philosophical view of the author of this book that what is presented in the concluding chapter speaks of soul experiences which can bring fulfillment to this search of the newer philosophies, then he may well add this chapter to his presentation. He seems to have observed that it is part of the basic character of these philosophies and their historical character not to keep to their own direction in their search for what they are looking for, and that this direction must lead to the world view that is outlined at the end of the book. It wants to be a real "science of the spirit". For those who find this to be correct, this worldview will show itself to be that which gives the answer to questions posed by contemporary philosophy, although it does not itself express this answer. And if this is correct, then what is said in the final chapter also sheds light on the historical position of modern philosophy.
[ 3 ] The author of this book does not imagine that anyone who is able to accept what is said in the concluding chapter must be of the opinion that a world view is necessary which replaces philosophy with something which philosophy itself can no longer regard as philosophy. The view that wants to express itself in the book is rather that philosophy, if it comes to really understand itself, must land with its spiritual vehicle in a spiritual experience that is certainly the fruit of its work, but which grows beyond this work. Philosophy thus retains its significance for every human being who must demand a secure spiritual foundation for the results of this spiritual experience through his way of thinking. He who is able to gain conviction of these results through a natural sense of truth is entitled to feel that he is on secure ground, even if he pays no attention to a philosophical foundation for these results. Whoever seeks the scientific justification of the world view spoken of at the end of this book must take the path through the philosophical foundation.
[ 4 ] That this path, if followed to its end, leads to experience in a spiritual world, and that through this experience the soul can bring its own spiritual essence to consciousness in a way that is independent of its experience and cognition through the sense world: that is what the presentation of this book attempts to prove. The presenter did not want to carry this thought into the observation of philosophical life as a preconceived opinion. He wanted to seek out impartially the view that speaks from this life itself. At least he endeavored to do so. He believes that this idea can be given an appropriate foundation in the presentation of this book by the fact that the scientific view is expressed in some passages of the book as if it were expressed by a confessor of this view himself. One will only be able to do complete justice to a view if one is able to put oneself completely in its place. And it is precisely this empathizing with a world view that most surely enables the human soul to emerge from it into modes of perception that spring from areas not encompassed by this world view.
[ 5 ] This second volume of the "Riddles of Philosophy" was printed up to page 206 before the outbreak of the great war that humanity is currently experiencing. The end of the book falls at the time of this event. I only wanted to point to that which deeply moves my soul from the outer world and occupies me, while the last thoughts of the contents of this book had to run through my inner being.
Berlin, September 1, 1914
Rudolf Steiner