Materialism

Materialism (from Latin: materia "substance", etymologically related to mater "mother" or matrix "womb"; see also → matter) is a basic philosophical direction which - in contrast to idealism - assumes that thoughts and ideas are manifestations of matter. It is one of the 12 fundamental worldviews Rudolf Steiner spoke of. In the zodiac he assigns the sign Cancer to materialism.

The epistemological-ontological materialism formed the basis of the dialectical materialism founded by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Colloquially, the term materialism is usually used pejoratively for an ethical attitude to life that is oriented solely towards possessions and prosperity within the framework of a purely consumer society.

Literature

• John Searle, Harvey P. Gavagai (Übers.): Die Wiederentdeckung des Geistes, Artemis und Winkler, München 1993, ISBN 3-7608-1944-3
• Rudolf Steiner: Der menschliche und der kosmische Gedanke, GA 151 (1990), ISBN 3-7274-1510-X English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Die spirituellen Hintergründe der äußeren Welt. Der Sturz der Geister der Finsternis, GA 177 (1999), ISBN 3-7274-1771-4 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Der übersinnliche Mensch, anthroposophisch erfaßt, GA 231 (1999), ISBN 3-7274-2310-2 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Anthroposophie – Eine Zusammenfassung nach einundzwanzig Jahren, GA 234 (1994), ISBN 3-7274-2342-0 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Konferenzen mit den Lehrern der Freien Waldorfschule 1919 bis 1924, Band I: Ausführliche Einleitung (E. Gabert) / Konferenzen 1919–1921, GA 300a (1995), ISBN 3-7274-3000-1 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Über Gesundheit und Krankheit. Grundlagen einer geisteswissenschaftlichen Sinneslehre, GA 348 (1997), ISBN 3-7274-3480-5 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org

References to the work of Rudolf Steiner follow Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works (CW or GA), Rudolf Steiner Verlag, Dornach/Switzerland, unless otherwise stated. Email: verlag@steinerverlag.com URL: www.steinerverlag.com. Index to the Complete Works of Rudolf Steiner - Aelzina Books A complete list by Volume Number and a full list of known English translations you may also find at Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works Rudolf Steiner Archive - The largest online collection of Rudolf Steiner's books, lectures and articles in English. Rudolf Steiner Audio - Recorded and Read by Dale Brunsvold steinerbooks.org - Anthroposophic Press Inc. (USA) Rudolf Steiner Handbook - Christian Karl's proven standard work for orientation in Rudolf Steiner's Collected Works for free download as PDF.