School of Common Sense I – Intuitive Understanding
Talk of a revolution of common sense in the USA and around the world is focused on nationalism, economic competition and development without regard of environmental and ecological considerations. This episode suggests the revolution offers a false promise even while the widespread appeal of the idea of a revolution of common sense is deeply justified. In this episode Goethe’s natural scientific method of intuitive understanding is presented as a discipline of common sense, or aesthetics, with reference to the role it played during the emergence of the modern environmental movement and green banks. A follow up episode indicates how this is connected with Rudolf Steiner’s associative economics, how Goethe’s primal phenomena is for theoretical philosophy what true price is for economic, practical philosophy. References: Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von (1975) Goethes Naturwissenschaftliche Schriften Ed. Rudolf Steiner. Vol. I-V. (Dornach, Switzerland: Rudolf Steiner Verlag). Förster, Eckart (2017) Die 25 Jahre Der Philosophie. (Frankfurt, Germnay: Vittorio Klostermann GmbH). McKanan, Dan (2017) Eco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism. (Berkeley, CA: Univ of California Press). https://www.natureinstitute.org/ https://science.goetheanum.org/en/section/natural-science-sectionQuestions of Courage is a project of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum, in collaboration with Goetheanum TV. To support the Youth Section Global Access Fund, please visit: https://www.goetheanum.org/en/youth-donations.
--------
24:07
UFO experiences and late Medieval Consciousness
While the idea of multi-dimensional beings is discussed in the congress of the United States in open hearings, it can take courage to try to understand Ufology and experience. This session explores recent research, especially on UFO experiencers, by sociologist D.W. Pasulka, and Rudolf Steiner’s presentation of late Medieval consciousness in Leading Thoughts, situating them in a larger understanding of development and human evolution. References: Pasulka, D. W. (2019) American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology. (Oxford University Press).Pasulka, D. W. (2023) Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences. (St. Martin’s Publishing Group).Steiner, Rudolf (1998) Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts. (Rudolf Steiner Press).Questions of Courage is a project of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum, in collaboration with Goetheanum TV. To support the Youth Section Global Access Fund, please visit: https://www.goetheanum.org/en/youth-donations.
--------
23:26
Thinking about the Human Aura
Even though many people feel it is meaningful to speak of the light and colors when trying to express something deeper in human nature, in most places we are asking to be judged as superstitious or naïve if we insist on speaking about the spiritual aura. In many places it is perhaps most associated in some places with traveling carnival culture and the desire to be entertained. One might have one picture taken, with aura included, in the same booth where one can have a palm reading. When are these perceptions pathological and how can they be approached in a discerning way? References:Sebastian Barry (2017) Days Without End. (Penguin).Rudolf Steiner (2005) Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man. (Rudolf Steiner Press).Questions of Courage is a project of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum, in collaboration with Goetheanum TV. To support the Youth Section Global Access Fund, please visit: https://www.goetheanum.org/en/youth-donations.
--------
23:22
Spiritual Perspectives on History
How can we contemplate history with an openness for its greater meaning? Many young people who are studying in the social sciences or anthropology may feel drawn to ask this question, but today, without a doubt, it takes courage to think about this. This segment focuses on the development of perspective painting during the European Renaissance, looking back toward eastern iconographic painting and looking forward to modern art with the question of what they could signify if we have openness to greater spiritual meanings in history. References:Barfield, Owen (2013) The Camera and the Harp, in , The Rediscovery of Meaning: And Other Essays. (UK: Barfield Press).florensky, Pavel (1996) Iconostasis. (Crestwood NY: St Vladimir’s Seminary Press).Mulisch, Harry (1997) The Discovery of Heaven. (Penguin Publishing Group).Solovyov, Vladimir (1995) Lectures on Divine Humanity. (SteinerBooks).Steffen, Albert (1968) Geist-Erwachen im Farben-Erleben: Bertrachtungen, Skizzen, Erinnerungen. (Verlag für Schöne Wissenschaften).Steiner, Rudolf (2023) The Arts and Their Mission: (CW 276). (SteinerBooks).Questions of Courage is a project of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum, in collaboration with Goetheanum TV. To support the Youth Section Global Access Fund, please visit: https://www.goetheanum.org/en/youth-donations.
--------
34:28
The “Revolution of Common Sense” in the USA
People all around the world watched the inauguration in the USA, a country with so much wealth, influence and power, hoping to gain some understanding of what is happening. What is the deeper meaning of the “revolution of common sense” promised by the incoming administration? What does this turn of events express? How can they be understood and what do they demand of us? This episode explores dynamics from recent centuries to contribute to this need of orientation, and to suggest what a true revolution in common sense requires. References: Phil Klay (2022) Uncertain Ground: Citizenship in an Age of Endless, Invisible War. (Penguin Publishing Group).James W. Douglass. (2010) JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters. (Simon and Schuster).William F. Pepper (2018) An Act of State: The Execution of Martin Luther King. (Verso Books).Declassification of Records Concerning the Assassinations of President John F. Kennedy. The White House. Available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declassification-of-records-concerning-the-assassinations-of-president-john-f-kennedy/,Charles Taylor (2004) Modern Social Imaginaries. (Duke University Press).Hilary Osborne (2018) What is Cambridge Analytica? The firm at the centre of Facebook’s data breach. The Guardian, 18 March. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/18/what-is-cambridge-analytica-firm-at-centre-of-facebook-data-breach.See Arthur Zajonc (1998) Goethe’s Way of Science: A Phenomenology of Natureand Ed. David Seamon. (Albany, NY: SUNY Press).Dan McKanan (2017) Eco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism. (Univ of California Press).In 2024 an event was hosted at the Goetheanum that focused on the global significance of these approaches to economics. https://www.worldgoetheanum.org/en/wgf-2024/wgf-2024-review. See also Otto Scharmer’s reflections here: https://www.kosmosjournal.org/kj_article/rethinking-economics/Questions of Courage is a project of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum, in collaboration with Goetheanum TV. To support the Youth Section Global Access Fund, please visit: https://www.goetheanum.org/en/youth-donations.
“Questions of Courage” is a video/podcast with Nathaniel Williams, leader of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum. It is an independent and unique look at questions related to technology, education, art, ecology, vocation, community, justice and meaning require a deeper, spiritual take on life. The ability to take up these issues from this perspective is a question of courage.
Österreich