Emergent Holistic Consciousness

by Stuart P. Heywood

2011 · AuthorHouse

Natural Science underpinned the modern Darwinian theory of evolution–physical: Seeing Eye empiricism: physical (sensory) mode. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) philosopher, scientist and educator introduced a Natural Science post-modern understanding a physical-spiritual: Seeing Eye and connecting mind’s I delicate empiricism: spiritual-physical (non-sensory) mode—underpinning and enhancing the theory of evolution. For historic accuracy we trace Rudolf Steiner’s ‘quest’ to bring both these modes together—modern natural scientific materialism (the dragon) and philosophical spiritual scientific knowledge—that lights our path and enables a threefold exploration of our spiritual-physical evolutionary development (Spiritual: invisible - Physical: visible). The ‘body – soul’ divide: (body: physical sensory mode – soul: spiritual non-sensory mode). Natural Science: Nature and Super-Nature: The use of the term super-natural is very different from the way the word ‘supernatural’ is commonly used and understood, (fantasy, black magic). Super-natural here equates to Nature and Natural Science: super-natural phenomena are only natural phenomena presenting at a higher or super –though– still natural level. Evolution: Goethe’s Naturphilosophie was a metamorphosis of ‘Nature philosophy’. In this same way Steiner’s Spiritual Science, a higher form of Naturphilosophie, conceived a purely active spiritual element a Meta transmutation had taken place: Naturmetaphilosophie.