APPENDIX
(a):
It is necessary to make this statement, for today
superficial readers are numerous, and they are always ready to read
all manner of nonsense into the expositions of a thinker, even though
the latter takes great pains to express himself precisely. For that
reason I should like to add here quite especially that it would never
occur to me to fight those who, resting upon scientific premises, follow
up the problem of “spontaneous generation.” But even though it
may be a fact that somehow mere “lifeless” substances do unite
to form living albumin, this does not prove that, rightly understood,
Redi's conception is wrong.
(b):
The adherents of Wundt must feel disagreeably affected by my speaking of
“soul” in such outmoded fashion, while they swear by the words
of their master who just recently has proclaimed that we ought not to
speak of “soul” since, after the “mythologizing of phenomena
has evaporated into the transcendental,” nothing has remained of this
“super-real” soul substance but an “interrelated
occurrence.” Well, Wundt's wisdom resembles the assertion that we must
not speak of “lily” because we are merely concerned with color,
form, the process of growth, and so forth. (Wundt, Naturwissenschaft und
Psychologie, Natural Science and Psychology.)
(c):
There may be many people today who wish to inform
themselves quickly about the teachings of spiritual science. They will
find it very bothersome if we first present to them explicitly the
natural-scientific facts in a light that will make them serve as the
basis upon which an anthroposophical view may be erected. They say: we
wish to hear something about spiritual science, but you give us
natural-scientific facts which every educated person knows. This is an
objection which shows very clearly how little our contemporaries are
inclined to think seriously. In reality, those who make the above
statement know nothing at all about the far-reaching consequences of
their knowledge. The astronomer knows nothing about the consequences
of astronomy, the chemist nothing about those of chemistry, and so
forth. There is no salvation for them but to be modest and to listen
quietly when they are shown that, because of the superficiality of
their thinking, they know nothing at all about that which in their
conceit they believe they have completely exhausted. — And even
anthroposophists often believe that it is unnecessary to prove the
convictions of karma and reincarnation by means of the findings of
natural science. They do not know that this is the task of the human
groups to which the inhabitants of Europe and America belong; and that
without this basis the members of these groups cannot truly attain to
spiritual-scientific insight. Whoever wishes merely to repeat what he
hears from the great Teachers of the East, cannot become an
anthroposophist within the European-American culture.
(d):
The writer of this essay cannot be charged with failure
to acknowledge the great merits of our modern believers for the very
reason that he himself, in his book Die Raetsel der Philosophie
(Riddles of Philosophy), has presented these merits in connection with
the spiritual evolution of their epoch, fully appreciating and
acknowledging their value.
(e):
I can imagine that there are many people who consider
themselves standing at the pinnacle of knowledge and who consider the
present exposition “completely unscientific.” I can understand these
people, for I know that this objection forces itself upon anyone who
has no experience in the domain of the supersensible and who, at the
same time, lacks the necessary restraint and modesty to admit that he
still might learn something. Such people, however, should at least
refrain from stating that the processes described here “contradict the
intellect” and “cannot be proved by the intellect.” The
intellect cannot do anything but combine and systematize facts. Facts can be
experienced, but not be “proved by the intellect.” With
the intellect, you cannot prove a whale. Either you must have seen it
yourself, or you must let somebody describe it who has seen one. It is the
same with the supersensible facts. If we have not yet attained to the point
where we can see them ourselves, then we must permit them to be
described to us. I can assure everyone that the supersensible facts
which I describe in the subsequent pages are just as “factual”
for the one whose higher senses are opened, as is the whale.
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