Other inspiring philosophers
Anthroposophic pharmacy has been principally inspired by the philosopher Rudolf Steiner and the medical doctor Ita Wegman. Amongst others, the IAAP is also inspired by the following philosophers:
Johann Wolfgang Goethe
(08.08.1749 – 22.03.1832)
Goethe’s scientific work on botany, zoology, colors etc lead to the methodology of “the adventure of human thought”, like Goethe himself called it, to gain the capacity to objectively study Nature in its endless but strict transformation principles. With a concrete phantasy, artistic and scientific at the same time, human thought can lead to new experiences of communion: “I see the idea acting (in Nature) with my eyes”.
Friedrich Hegel
(17.08.1770 – 14.11.1831)
Friedrich Hegel is one of the main discoverers the realm of self conscient perception of innerly appearing spiritual phenomena, like the world of thoughts and concepts for modern consciousness.
Charles Darwin
(12.02.1809 - 19.04.1882)
One of the big fighters for a dynamic understanding of Nature: evolution contraposed to the static view of an abstract creationism, whereas the latter cannot be confirmed by unprejudiced observations in Nature
Aristotle
(384 b.C. - 322 b.C.)
One of the historical founders of rational science, linking thought to concrete reality and observation. The individual consciousness is thus strengthened.
Novalis
(02.05.1772 - 25.03.1801)
His passionate love for caves and depths of the earth surely leads to more knowledge and devotion for the earths beauties and misteries.
St. John
In the prologue to his gospel with impressive philosophical wordings the drama of evolution is already enlarged beyond the sole scope of physical perception: Logos acting within the evolution, the Logos itself appearing as Man. Man becoming himself an actor, if he knows to find the Logos within his depths and to transform his being accordingly.
Plato
(427 b.C. - 347 b.C.)
Plato is a witness of the reality of that spiritual realm, where creating/forming forces , i.e. ideas reveal themselves by direct supersensible perception. Behind a material phenomenon a fully bright ideal reality exists. Goethe will a.o. depart from this position to seek for the acting idea within the world of sensorial phenomena, e.g. in plants. The visible world of phenomena and the metaphisical world of forming forces begin a modern approach in man’s consciousness.
Ernst Haeckel
(16.02.1834 - 09.08.1919)
Ernst Haeckel’s attempt to study Nature as a whole, connected by rational principles that can be expressed by sober thoughts, such as ontogeny and philogeny, is a milestone in mankind’s struggle to understand his relationship to the beings of Nature around him. His drawings of primitive sea animals reveal a deep devotion to creatures.
