Observation of Thinking

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The observation of thinking, which Rudolf Steiner first discussed in detail in his "Philosophy of Freedom", is an important step on the path to conscious spiritual cognition. The thinking experience, the experience of thinking, usually eludes observation because the thinker, while thinking, directs his attention entirely to the object about which he is thinking. The conscious observation of thinking represents an exceptional state, which, however, every thinking person can deliberately bring about. He then observes his own spiritual activity - and thus stands at the beginning of spiritual perception in general, through which he experiences himself as a spiritual being. At the same time, however, this is also the starting point for all further spiritual perception.

Aristotle and the "Thinking of Thinking"

In his Metaphysics, Aristotle already described the possibility of observing thinking as a "thinking of thinking":

„But thinking in itself has as its object that which is in itself most valuable, and the purest thinking also has the purest object. Consequently, thinking thinks itself; it participates in objectivity; it becomes itself the object by grasping and thinking, and thus thinking and its object become identical. For that which is receptive to the object and the pure being is the thinking spirit, and it realises its faculty by possessing the object.

The divine, therefore, which is ascribed to the thinking spirit as its property, is more this possession than mere receptivity; the most blessed and highest is pure contemplation. Now if God's blessedness is eternal, such as we shall ever have, how wonderful! If it is even higher, how much more wonderful! But this is how it is.

And the predicate of liveliness also belongs to it. For the efficacy of the thinking spirit is life; but God is pure efficacy, and his efficacy in and for itself is a supreme, an eternal life. And so then we say: God is the eternal, absolutely perfect living being, and to Him, therefore, belongs a timeless, eternal life and existence. This, then, is God's essence and concept.“ (Lit.: Aristotle, Metaphysics, Part II, VII.)

From "Thinking of Thinking" to the Concrete "Observation of Thinking"

What Rudolf Steiner described as "observation of thinking" in his "Philosophy of Freedom", however, goes far beyond "thinking of thinking" and leads to a concrete contemplation of thinking and of one's own spiritual being, which this brings forth, but in which the spiritual being of the world is also founded at the same time. The observation of thinking thus leads to a true self-knowledge, which is the necessary basis of the knowledge of the world.

„However, such observation of thought does not mean mere reflection on thinking, as is already found in Aristotle's "thinking of thinking" and in Descartes' cogito. Rather, it is about concrete perception and experience of what is thinking in thinking. If this is experienced perceptively, Steiner emphasises, then the human being recognises what he or she really is. He then also recognises what is felt in feeling and what is willed in willing, and only on the basis of this realisation does he then also understand the world around him and can live in it as a human being in a satisfying way.“ (Lit.: Clement, p. 6f)

„It is a question here, to indicate it only briefly, of the human being awakening to an inner life of thought what is otherwise merely combining thinking, as it underlies what is today often called 'science' alone. Then thinking is a life in thought. Then one can no longer think about thinking, but then it transforms itself into something else. Then thinking about thinking is transformed into a spiritual contemplation of thinking, then one has thinking before one as one otherwise has external sense objects before one, only that one has these before one's eyes and ears, while one has thinking before the soul filled with spiritual contemplation.“ (Lit.:GA 67, p. 82f)

Literature
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.

Weblinks

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