Rudolf Steiner went to Weimar to edit the scientific writings of Goethe for the Kürschner edition of the “German National Literature.” Along with sorting and arranging Goethe's works, Steiner wrote introductions and commentaries that have been collected and published in English translation under the titles Goethe the Scientist or Goethean Science.

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Goethes Naturwissenschaftliche Schriften

In den Jahren 1884–1897 besorgte Rudolf Steiner für Kürschners «Deutsche National-Litteratur» die Herausgabe von Goethes Naturwissenschaftlichen Schriften (siehe GA 1 a-e).

Sämtliche seiner dazu verfaßten Einleitungen sind in diesem Band enthalten. Die intensive Beschäftigung mit der Anschauungsweise Goethes war der Ausgangspunkt für Steiners erkenntnistheoretische Arbeiten und hat sich auch auf sein gesamtes Werk ausgewirkt.

Goethean Science

Chapter titles: Introduction, How Goethe's Theory of Metamorphosis Arose, How Goethe's Thoughts on the Development of the Animals Arose, The Nature and Significance of Goethe's Writings on Organic Morphology, Concluding Remarks on Goethe's Morphological Views, Goethe's Way of Knowledge, The Arrangement of Goethe's Natural-scientific Writings, From Art to Science, Goethe's Epistemology, Knowing and Human Action in the Light of Goethean Way of Thinking, Relationship of the Goethean Way of Thinking to Other Views, Goethe and Mathematics, Goethe's Basic Geological Principle, Goethe's Meteorological Conceptions, Goethe and Natural-scientific Illusionism, Goethe as Thinker and Investigator, Goethe Against Atomism, Goethe's World View in his "Aphorisms in Prose."

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The books in this area can be compared side by side in the same browser window. Select any combination of chapters, prefaces, appendixes, etc., from any of the editions found here.