Science

Four epochs of science:
                 childish,
          poetic, superstitious;
                 empirical,
          inquiring, curious;
                 dogmatic,
          didactic, pedantic;
                     idealistic,
          methodical, mystical.

Goethe: Maximen und Reflexionen

Science (from Latin: scientia "knowledge, insight into a thing, skill, thorough knowledge"; Middle High German: wizzen[t]schaft, from Indo-European: *u̯e(i)d or *weid- "to behold, to see" and Old High German: scaf(t) or skaf(t) "nature, order, plan, rank", in this sense: "order of knowledge") - literally, therefore, that which creates knowledge - comprises, according to the current view, research and teaching. Research, in contrast to accidental discovery, is based on the deliberate methodical search for new knowledge, combined with the systematic documentation of the methods used and the results thus obtained and their publication in scientific works. Teaching consists of passing on the resulting knowledge in a mostly institutionalised framework. If one follows the tradition of thought or the working method of an important predecessor, a scientific school is formed.

People who systematically devote themselves to the further development of science are called scientists and in their totality form the worldwide scientific community (also called research community). The scientific discourse within the scientific community is of decisive importance. Scientists usually have a completed academic education and usually, but not necessarily, carry out their work professionally, but there are also private scholars or private lecturers and amateur scientists.

According to Rudolf Steiner's understanding, anthroposophy is a spiritual science equivalent to the natural sciences, which, however, in contrast to the academically cultivated humanities, is not limited to the cultural achievements of man, but primarily aims at an empirical investigation of the spiritual world. The scientific nature of anthroposophy is still often doubted by academically researching scientists. However, now that serious esoteric research has been established, a fruitful dialogue with the anthroposophical community has also begun.