Freedom of thought and societal forces : implementing the demands of modern society : six public lectures given in Ulm, Berlin and Stuttgart, May 26-December 30, 1919 / Rudolf Steiner ; translated by Catherine E. Creeger ; introduction by Christopher Bamford.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Steiner, Rudolf, 1861-1925.

Series:

Collected works of Rudolf Steiner ; v. 333.

The collected works of Rudolf Steiner ; v. 333

Standardized Title:

Gedankenfreiheit und soziale Kräfte. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Liberty.

Social psychology.

Social history.

Physical Description:

xvii, 154 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Great Barrington, Mass. : SteinerBooks, [2008]

Summary:

Freedom of Thought and Societal Forces provides a broad, accessible overview of Rudolf Steiner's thinking during the first period of his activism on behalf of "Social Threefolding." Readers will be surprised at the freshness of his thought and his radical ability to face issues. He acknowledged that the demand for social change derived, most of all, from the working class, who, as a result of industrialization, had been forced into a virtually indentured life dominated exclusively by economic activity. But, from Steiner's point of view the underlying issue was not only economic, it was also spiritual or cultural. Culture and the cultured classes had become estranged from "real life." What was needed was a culture that included all classes-a free cultural life. At the same time, labor should be shifted to the sphere of rights, the only place where the freedom that workers seek was to be found. Capital, too, should be liberated from egotism and allowed-like goods-simply to circulate. Above all, Steiner understood that social realities could not be separated from the spiritual realities of human existence.

From this point of view, we lack self-knowledge of the human as a spiritual being. Thinking has become abstract. To remedy this situation, the first step is to admit it and develop an inner attitude of modesty and humility. Second, we must increase our capacity to love-to love one another and the world. Approaching the same reality from another side, we can see that what ails our individual ordinary thinking ails culture in general. It, too, has become removed from reality. Culture, like thinking, must become alive, universally human. But none of this is possible if human beings do not develop what he calls "freedom of thought." Overcoming egotism, authentic freedom of thought is always ethical. Were it to become more general, the exercise of freedom of thought, as Steiner conceives of it, in fact provides a way through the twin dangers of materialism and abstraction, which threaten social life both in the narrower sense of "national" life and in the broader, more global, geopolitical sense.

Contents:

1 The Threefold Aspect of the Societal and Class Question 1

2 Insight into the Supersensible Human Being and the Task of our Time 25

3 Realizing the Ideals of Libery, Equality, and Fraternity through Social Threefolding 43

4 Spiritual Science, Freedom of Thought, and Societal Forces 63

5 The Assets and Liabilities of World Cultures 83

6 Spirit Cognition as a Basis for Action 97.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780880105972

0880105976

OCLC:

242566920