Paths and Goals of Spiritual Man
GA 125
In 1910, in addition to his public lectures, Rudolf Steiner gave six major lecture cycles (GA 119-123 and 126) for the members of the then Theosophical Society, as well as numerous individual lectures. As far as these transcripts were created, they can be found in the Complete Edition as follows: the lectures in which the same topic is presented in different places are summarized in the volumes “The Event of the Appearance of Christ in the Ethereal World”, GA 118, and in “Excursions into the Realm of the Gospel of Mark”, GA 124.
The remaining lectures, which cover a wide range of topics and were given on a variety of occasions, are included in chronological order in the present volume. For some lectures — but not for the following ones — it is still possible to determine the exact circumstances under which the lectures came about.
Strasbourg, January 23, 1910: Rudolf Steiner spoke here at the inauguration of the Novalis branch, founded on October 22, 1909.
Hamburg, May 26, 1910: This lecture on Hegel's philosophy was given during the Hamburg cycle on “The Revelations of Karma” (GA 120). It was not originally planned in the program, and it is not known why it was given.
Copenhagen, June 1-4, 1910: These lectures took place on the occasion of the inauguration of the Rudolf Steiner branch. The Copenhagen Theosophists formally belonged to the Scandinavian Section of the Theosophical Society (Adyar). It is therefore remarkable that in 1910 they named their newly founded branch after Rudolf Steiner.
Munich, August 26, 1910: In mid-August 1910, Rudolf Steiner's first mystery drama, “The Portal of Initiation,” was performed in Munich, followed by a lecture cycle on “The Secrets of the Biblical Story of Creation.” The lecture reproduced here on the current state of philosophy was given on the last day of the events; it was not originally planned in the program.
| I. | Novalis and Spiritual Science | January 23, 1910 |
| II. | Hegel's Philosophy and Its Connection to the Present Day | May 26, 1910 |
| III. | Paths and Goals of the Spiritual Human Being | June 2, 1910 |
| IV. | The Ways and Goals of the Spiritual Man | June 4, 1910 |
| V. | Ways and Goals of the Spiritual Human Being | June 5, 1910 |
| VI. | The Present State of Philosophy and Science | August 26, 1910 |
| VII. | Imagination as a Preliminary Stage of Higher Soul Faculties | November 21, 1910 |
| VIII. | Karmic Effects: Anthroposophy as a Way of Life | December 11, 1910 |