Nature’s Open Secret: Introduction
to Goethe’s Scientific Writings
These essays, written between 1883
and 1897, are still among the most penetrating elucidations
of Goethe’s scientific approach.
Translated by John Barnes and Mado Spiegler (Great Barrington,
MA: Anthroposophic Press, 2000); German Bibl. Nr. 1.
Goethe’s World View
In this book Steiner places Goethe’s
world view within the context of the history of philosophy
and discusses Goethe’s scientific approach.
Translated by William Lindeman (Spring Valley, NY: Mercury
Press, 1992); originally published in German in 1897;
Bibl. Nr. 6.
The Science of Knowing: Outline
of an Epistemology Implicit in the Goethean World View.
This was Steiner’s first book and a precursor to his Philosophy
of Freedom (see below). Beyond foundational epistemology
it considers the difference between the sciences of the
inorganic and organic.
Translated by William Lindeman (Spring Valley, NY: Mercury
Press, 1988); originally published in German in 1886;
Bibl. Nr. 2.
The Philosophy of Freedom
In this book Steiner develops
his monistic (“one-world”) epistemology and shows its
consequences for philosophy, science, and human action.
Originally published in German in 1894 (Bibl. Nr. 4), this book has been translated into English a number of times under different titles:
