PREFACE
Written in 1918 as an
introduction to these lectures which had been given in 1910.
In these lectures, which were given at Christiania in June 1910, I
ventured to give a sketch of the psychology of the development of
peoples. The lectures are based upon the principles of
anthroposophical spiritual science laid down in my books
Theosophy,
An Outline Of Occult Science,
The Riddle of Man,
Riddles of the Soul,
etc. I was able to build upon this foundation because my hearers
were acquainted with the scientific views set forth in my works. In
addition to this outer reason for the choice of the point of view
there is, however, an inner one: the ordinary scientific study of
anthropology, ethnology or even history cannot provide a sufficient
foundation for a true psychology of the various folk-characters. With
the knowledge provided by this science we cannot penetrate any
further, just as by means of anatomy and physiology we cannot arrive
at the knowledge of the inner psychic life of man. If we wish to
learn the inward life of an individual being we must pass from the
body to the soul, and if we desire to gain real knowledge of the
characters of the various peoples we must penetrate to the soul
and spirit in them. This soul and spirit is, however, not a mere
co-operation of the several human souls in that people, but it is one
that is higher than these. Modern science is not accustomed to study
this higher soul and spirit; before its forum it is paradoxical to
speak of Folk-souls as real beings, in the same way as we speak
of the real thought, feeling and will of individual human beings. It
is also paradoxical before this forum to connect the development of
peoples on the earth with the forces of the heavenly bodies in space.
But the matter is no longer paradoxical or strange when we remember
that no-one tries to find the forces which make the needle of a
magnet lie in the direction North-South in the needle itself. He
ascribes it to the action of the magnetism of the earth. He seeks in
the cosmos the reason for the direction of the needle. May we not
therefore seek in the cosmos the reason for the development of
folk-characters, for the migrations of peoples, etc., outside those
peoples themselves? Apart from the anthroposophical view, for which
higher spiritual beings are a reality, something else comes into
consideration in our studies. In these lectures a higher spiritual
reality is placed at the foundation of the development of the
peoples, and the forces that give this development a certain
direction are sought in this reality. Then we descend to the facts
manifested in the life of the peoples and it is seen that these facts
are thereby explained. The conditions in the life of the various
peoples can thus be clearly understood, as well as their mutual
relations, whereas without this foundation there is no true knowledge
on this subject. One must seek a foundation for the psychology of
peoples in a spiritual reality or renounce such a psychology
altogether.
I have not shrunk from using for the higher spiritual
beings the names customary in the early centuries of Christianity. An
Oriental would choose different names. And although the application
of these names may now be considered not very ‘scientific’
it seems to me better not to be afraid of using them; first of all we
thus accommodate ourselves to the fundamentally Christian character
of our western civilization, and again we shall be more readily
understood than if entirely new names were chosen or if designations
were taken from the Orient whose real meaning could only be fully
comprehended by one who is at home in that civilization. It
seems to me that one who wishes to penetrate into these spiritual
connections, if he does not reject the matter as such, will not take
offence at names like Angel, Archangel, Throne, etc., any more than
he does in physical science at designations like positive and
negative electricity, magnetism, polarized light, etc.
If the contents of these lectures are considered in
connection with the painful trials of civilized humanity at the
present time it will be found that what was then said throws a great
deal of light upon what is now taking place. Were I to give these
lectures now it could well be thought that the present state of
affairs in the world demanded such studies. Thus for example on page
three of the first lecture you will read, ‘It is especially
important’ — that just in our times one should speak
quite impartially on what we call the Mission of Individual
Folk-souls — ‘because the fate of humanity in the near
future will bring men together much more than has hitherto been the
case, to fulfill a common mission for humanity.’ But the
individuals belonging to the several peoples will only be able to
bring their free, concrete contributions to this joint mission, if
they have, first of all, an understanding of the folk to which they
belong, an understanding of what we might call “the
Self-knowledge of the Folk.” Presumably the time has now come
when the fate of humanity itself teaches the truth of this view.
Perhaps this subject of the ‘Folk-souls’ is exactly one
which shows how spiritual observation of the really super-sensible
part of existence provides at the same time the really practical view
of life which throws light upon the various questions of life. This
cannot be done by a view of life which in the study of the nature and
development of peoples only uses concepts applicable to the things of
natural science. This mechanical physical science has done great
service in producing the mechanical physical chemical means of
culture; as an agent for the spiritual life of humanity we require a
science which deals with the spiritual. Our age demands such a
science.
Berlin, 8th February, 1918
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RUDOLF STEINER.
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