The Rudolf Steiner Archive

Volume I: Preface

[ 1 ] In this paper an attempt is made to describe the development of world and life views from Goethe and Kant to Darwin and Haeckel. This development presents itself as a tremendous struggle of the human mind, which began at the beginning of the nineteenth century with the boldest development of the power of thought for the solution of the great riddles of existence, and which seeks a temporary satisfaction in the deepening of the scientific knowledge of our time.

[ 2 ] This work is divided into two volumes. This one deals with the first five decades of the century, in which the spirits endeavored to get the truth out of themselves. This period could be called the idealistic period. The second volume will deal with the age of natural science, the realistic period. It seeks to approach the mysteries of the world by utilizing the significant progress that observation of facts has made in the last five decades.

[ 3 ] The author hopes that, because of his striving for an easily comprehensible, popular form of presentation, which should make the book accessible to the widest circles, those who are familiar with the development of the world view of our past century will not overlook the fact that he has sought to pursue the questions under consideration with the utmost rigor. They will find that a number of new points of view have been gained here if they compare, for example, the presentation of Kant's, Goethe's, Fichte's, Hegel's and Stirner's world view with other historical discussions of the same subject.

[ 4 ] First and foremost, the aim was to give every personality who has contributed to the construction of the modern worldview their full due. My own views are in full agreement with the results arrived at by the greatest natural scientist of our time, Ernst Haeckel. I have referred to this harmony particularly in my "Philosophy of Freedom" and may take it as an honor that Ernst Haeckel, who in his work "Die Welträtsel" (The Enigmas of the World) has just explained his system of ideas in detail, has accepted the dedication of my book. A true understanding of this modern world view will be greatly enhanced if one also delves into the opposing ideas without prejudice. In this book, for example, Schelling's view is expressed in a way that, I believe, one does not even notice that a staunch opponent is speaking. I was concerned with faithful historical discussions, not one-sided criticism; and I would consider myself fortunate if those in the know were to find that my own sharply defined worldview has not clouded my view of the thoughts of others, but rather sharpened it.

Berlin, February 1900.
Rudolf Steiner.