Goethe’s Scientific Approach
A Guide to Participatory Cognition of Nature
“There may be a difference between seeing and seeing, that the eyes of the spirit have to work in perpetual living connection with those of the body, for one otherwise risks seeing and yet seeing past a thing.” — Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was one of the foremost intellectuals of the 18th and 19th centuries. Known as a significant European literary figure for his poetry — some have called him the “German Shakespeare” — his recondite scientific approach is of signal import.
Goethe's scientific method and process present a unique and profound approach to comprehending the natural world. The foundation of his approach is a delicate empiricism, which involves a deep sensitivity to the subtle nuances of Nature and the cultivation of a participatory relationship with phenomena being studied. Goethe’s approach is characterized by a deep respect for the wholeness and interconnectedness of Nature and an awareness that true knowledge thereof will only emerge from engaging with phenomena as a whole, rather than reducing them to isolated parts.
“There is a delicate empiricism that makes itself utterly identical with the object, thereby becoming true theory. But this enhancement of our mental powers belongs to a highly evolved age.” — Goethe
This delicate empiricism is a way of observing the natural world with a heightened sensitivity and attentiveness, engaging all of one’s senses and emotions to truly experience and comprehend the object of study. It involves a deep immersion in the phenomenon being observed, allowing the observer to participate in and feel the dynamic interplay of its various elements.
One must set aside preconceived notions and theories, and approach the phenomenon with an open and receptive mind, allowing its true nature to reveal itself. This is integral to Goethe's scientific approach, which emphasizes the importance of cultivating a wholistic, participatory comprehension of the natural world.
According to Goethe, the true seeing of a thing comes from healthy sight that requires perpetual living connection between the eyes of the spirit and those of the body. His approach takes us deeper into reality to find the immutable laws, via confronting individual phenomenon, to engender envisioning the archetype within.
The terms “Goethean process” and “Goethean method” refer to two intertwined approaches to comprehending phenomena that involve the full input of the senses and imagination. Although they are often used interchangeably or considered as one, they differ in their subsequent stages after the initial “exact sense perception” stage.
The Goethean process requires ongoing engagement with the natural world, enabling cognitive participation in its essential nature. On the other hand, the Goethean method provides a structured framework for navigating this engagement, akin to a compass guiding one’s way. While the method is crucial, it is not the same as the process itself.
The process entails open, non-judgmental sensory observation and imagination in perceiving a phenomenon as a unity beyond our discursive awareness. The method involves paying attention to the relationships and qualities within the observed phenomenon to comprehend the underlying principles giving rise to its essential nature.
The process encompasses specific steps that are less prescriptive than those outlined in the method. The process involves ongoing engagement, while the method provides a structured framework for that engagement.
Comprehending the interlinking differences between the Goethean process and method is essential to grasping the depth and complexity of Goethe's scientific worldview. The method is a tool for engaging with the natural world, but the ongoing process of engagement and comprehension that Goethe saw as essential to archetypal cognition is not the same thing as the method. In other words, the process is a broader approach that incorporates the method as a tool within it.
The Goethean Process
The Goethean process is an approach to natural science that emphasizes the subjective experience of the observer, involving cultivation of deep perception, intuition, and comprehension. It is a wholistic method that seeks to cognize Nature as a whole, not merely as a collection of individual components. In Nature, the whole is always far greater than the individual parts can ever be.
“What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning.” ~ Werner Heisenberg
Goethe’s process involves a participatory approach to science, where the observer seeks to immerse themselves in the subject of their study. Goethe found that to truly comprehend a subject, one must participate in it, engage with it, and allow oneself to be changed by it. This process of engagement is a key aspect of Goethe’s approach to science, as it encourages the observer to move beyond the limitations of the discursive state of consciousness and to perceive the subject in a wholistic way.
“The same organizing forces that have shaped nature in all her forms are also responsible for the structure of our minds.” — Werner Heisenberg
The Goethean process involves the following stages:
Exact Sense Perception: The first step is to undertake a detailed sensory-based observation of a particular phenomenon. This involves observing the phenomenon with an open and listening posture, setting aside any preconceptions and biases. By suspending judgment and engaging in careful observation, one can gather information about the phenomenon that would otherwise be overlooked. Goethe saw that the human senses are active participants in the process of cognition, not just passive receptors of information. By engaging all our senses and immersing ourselves in the phenomenon, we gain a deeper comprehension. This is the most crucial step in the process, as it forms the foundation for all subsequent stages.
With plants, this means observing the plant as a whole, rather than just focusing on individual parts or aspects. This includes not only the physical aspects of the plant, such as its size, shape, color, and texture at the moment of observation, but also its movements, growth patterns through time, and interactions with other organisms and the environment. Through this process of observation, the observer begins to develop a relationship with the plant, recognizing it as a living entity with its own unique characteristics and behaviors.
Exact Sensorial Imagination: The second step is to use exact sensorial imagination to bring together observed static parts and make them fluid in the imagination as a dynamic process in time. This involves using the imagination as a tool of perception to visualize the coming into being of the form and its journey into the future to completion or death. Through this imaginative process, one encounters the absent whole of the phenomenon and gains a deeper comprehension of its nature. An example is to imagine a species of plant, from seed, through shoot, stem, leaf, flower, fruit and seed stages as a whole being beyond one’s discursive awareness.
Encountering the Whole: The third step is to assume a posture of receptive attentiveness to let the phenomenon reveal something of its essential nature, a seeing in beholding. In this step, one deepens the dynamic transformation envisioned in the previous step and reveals the formative gesture of the organism or its life-principles. By encountering inspirational insights that disclose the “whole” phenomenon or the unity that is always present but never seen, one can gain a more profound comprehension of the phenomenon.
Becoming One with the Phenomenon: The final step is to transcend the particular organism studied and encounter its archetype. This involves merging with the organism through intuitive perception to grasp its inherent meaning or creative potency. By cognizing the archetype that manifests in a multiplicity of forms, only one of which is the plant being studied, one gains a comprehensive vision of the phenomenon and its place in the larger natural world. The observer merges with the plant through intuitive perception to grasp its inherent meaning or creative potency. Through this process, the observer comprehends the archetype that manifests in a multiplicity of forms, only one of which is the plant being studied.
By engaging with the plant in this way, the observer can come to see the plant with what Goethe called the “eye of the spirit,” which allows for a deeper awareness of the plant's inner nature.
“Goethe seeks the explanation of something living, not merely in the logically thought-out relationship of cause and effect, but through perceptive judgement, meaning: a perceiving of the truth within the whole, while observing, so as to reach the archetypal picture or Idea, to which the phenomenon relates.” — Olive Whicher
The Goethean Method
The Goethean method is the practical application of the Goethean process.
The method involves applying the process of observation and interconnection to the larger realm of natural processes, seeking to comprehend the underlying patterns and forms that govern them. This requires a wholistic and dynamic approach, recognizing that everything in nature is interconnected and constantly changing. The method is not a rigid set of rules or procedures, but rather a flexible and creative approach to comprehending the natural world.
It involves the following steps:
Exact Sense Perception, which involves a detailed sensory-based observation of the phenomenon. In this stage, the observer must suspend judgment and preconceptions and observe in an open and listening posture. This stage is critical to the success of the Goethean method as it sets the foundation for all subsequent stages.
Exact Sensorial Conception, which involves using the imagination to grasp the essential formative gesture of the phenomenon. This stage is where the observer uses their imagination to comprehend the relationships between the observed parts and formulates an image of the phenomenon that captures its essential nature. The observer encounters the phenomenon in its “coming into being” and “passing away” and uses their imagination to envision the dynamic processes at work.
Intuitive Judgment, which involves engaging in a contemplative, receptive posture to allow insights to emerge. In this stage, the observer suspends analytical thinking and allows the intuition to operate. The observer discerns the underlying dynamic principles and patterns at work and allows these insights to inform the emerging image from the previous stage.
Exact Imaginative Reflection, which involves engaging in critical reflection on the image formed in the previous stage. In this stage, the observer uses their imagination to test the image against other scenarios, seeks out further observations and experiences to refine and develop the image, and uses critical judgment to refine and verify the image as accurate and meaningful.
Exact Gestural Extension, which involves applying the insights and images gained through the previous stages to wider contexts and phenomena. In this stage, the observer uses their imagination to see the formative gestures of other phenomena, extends the insights to new situations and domains, and seeks out practical applications and ways to share the insights with others.
It is important to note that these stages are not always sequential and often overlap and interact with one another. Goethean observation and inquiry is a dynamic and iterative noesis, where each stage informs and influences the others. By engaging in the Goethean method, one can gain deep insights into the natural world and the phenomena that surround us.
A Goethean Way of Life
The Goethean approach is not only a scientific method but moreso a way of life. It encourages our engagement with Nature in developing a deep appreciation and respect for the natural world. By living this approach, we gain a deeper comprehension of the complexity and interconnectedness of Nature, concomitantly developing a sense of wonder and awe for its beauty and mystery.
“Goethe believed that the true Theory is contained in the Phenomenon. The phenomena our senses see do not deceive us; they are not unlike the ideal reality which brings them forth. As the Greek origin of the word implies, the ‘Theory’ is the true seeing of the thing - the insight that should come with healthy sight. Yet man is so constituted that he does not really see unless he meets what he sees with spiritual activity on his own part.” — Olive Whicher
The Goethean approach is a powerful tool for comprehending and participating in the natural world. It involves cultivating a cognizance of the inner essence of the phenomenon, rather than reducing it to its component parts and analyzing them separately. This cognizance is gained through a process of intuitive perception and contemplation, rather than empirical observation and experimentation.
Goethe's approach, encompassing both method and process, can be applied to any natural phenomenon. The method provides a structured framework for engaging with the natural world, guiding the observer through specific steps that allow for a more detailed and accurate comprehension of the phenomenon. Meanwhile, the ongoing process of engagement and comprehension that Goethe saw as essential to archetypal cognition is a broader approach that incorporates the method as a tool within it. By using this approach, one may gain a profound appreciation for the natural world and its interconnectedness, while recognizing the fundamental unity of the observer and the observed. This wholistic approach to science allows for a fuller comprehension of the complexity and mystery of nature, fostering in us a sense of wonder and awe.
“Goethe does not flee from reality in order to create an abstract world of thoughts which has nothing in common with reality; no, he goes deeper into reality, into its constant changes, its becoming and moving, in order to find the immutable laws; he confronts the individual (phenomenon) in order to see the archetype in that individual. Thus there arose in his mind the archetypal plant and the archetypal animal which are nothing other than the Idea of the animal, the Idea of the plant. These are no empty, general concepts which belong to some grey theory; they are the essential bases of organisms, with a rich, concrete content, full of life and clarity.” — Rudolf Steiner
In the modern world, where reductionism and fragmentation are the norm, the Goethean approach provides a refreshing and much-needed alternative. It challenges us to move beyond our societal imprints and academic dogmas and see the world with fresh eyes, to approach phenomena with an open mind and a willingness to engage in a participatory dialogue with nature.
“There is a fundamental error in separating the parts from the whole, the mistake of atomizing what should not be atomized. Unity and complementarity constitute reality.” — Werner Heisenberg
Ultimately, the Goethean approach is not just a scientific tool but a way of life, a way of approaching the world with reverence and wonder, and a deep respect for the mysteries that lie at the heart of existence. Through its practice, we can come to know the world in a profound and meaningful way, one that enriches our lives and expands our consciousness.
From a Steinerian perspective, the process and method of Goethe's approach to science can be seen as a spiritual-scientific method of inquiry, which involves developing a deep intuitive comprehension of the natural world through meditative observation and contemplation. According to Steiner, this approach is based on the recognition that the natural world is not just a collection of separate objects or phenomena, but rather a dynamic, interconnected system of spiritual forces and principles.
In Steiner’s view, the process of observing a single phenomenon, such as a plant, involves not just using one’s physical senses but also developing a spiritual sensitivity to the inner qualities and spiritual forces at work within the phenomenon. This process of observation allows the observer to develop deep intuitive insights into the phenomenon, and to see it as an expression of the underlying spiritual forces and principles that govern the natural world.
Once this deep state of comprehension has been achieved through the process of observation, it can then be applied to the larger realm of natural processes through the method of seeing how the archetypal pattern observed in the phenomenon is expressed in other natural phenomena. In this way, the method of Goethe's approach to science involves using the intuitive comprehension gained through the process of observation to develop a comprehensive knowledge of the natural world as a whole.
The human being knows himself only insofar as he knows the world; he perceives the world only in himself, and himself only in the world. Every new object, clearly seen, opens up a new organ of perception in us. — Goethe
In Rudolf Steiner’s view, a new organ of cognition is developed through Goethe's approach to science, a spiritual sensitivity to the underlying spiritual forces and principles at work in the natural world. This sensitivity allows the observer to develop a deep intuitive envisioning of the natural world transcending the limitations of purely intellectual or scientific methods of inquiry.
Next, we will look at the “whole of a plant” to gain a practical comprehension of this initially somewhat complex-seeming path of acquiring higher knowledge. It becomes more simple in practice. And opens up the mind to some incredible ideas!
“If nature is your teacher, your soul will awaken.” — Goethe
Wonderful article Thomas - many thanks !
All Photosynthesized, or Photon Synthesized