EVOLVING SCIENCE 2024

Diversity Strengthens Identity

Autumn Conference of the Natural Science
Section at the Goetheanum
10 - 13 October 2024

Dear Friends of the Natural Science Section at the Goetheanum!

Rudolf Steiner pointed out  that natural science should prepare the social forms of the future, but it often happened the other way around: Darwin, for example, borrowed the competition-based “struggle for existence” concept from the economist Robert Malthus. Today, it is becoming increasingly clear  that nature does not gain stability and resilience through competition between species  but primarily through their mutually beneficial coexistence. Developmental variability of species also arises from species richness and symbiosis in community, and the identity of a species is often not possible without the diversity of its environment.

Even before these connections were well known, Goethe had formulated this as the principle of his method of knowledge: primal phenomena and archetypes only become recognizable in the diversity of their manifestations, and they are contoured by them; at the same time, they create this diversity themselves. This is how Goethe formulated the task of “multiplying” experiments and phenomena in order to realize their identity as a “higher experience in experience” in their diversity.

Through a diversity of methodological approaches and ways of thinking, we develop insights into larger contexts and a common identity in the diversity of nature's manifestations. Can we experience the diversity of our approaches as a richness that strengthens the identity of our community? If we succeed in realizing this more and more, we will also be making a contribution to the renewal of social forms.

We would like to warmly invite you to work with us on these topics during the conference through lectures, short presentations, plenary discussions, and in groups. We welcome suggestions for contributions. A preliminary conference program will be published in early summer.

Format

• As with “Evolving Science 2015 / 2018 / 2021”, there will be spaces for project presentations and workshops, which can be registered up until September 15  here.
• The conference will be bilingual in German and English.
• If participation is not possible for financial reasons, please do not hesitate to contact us: sciencenoSpam@goetheanum.ch
   

We look forward to your participation!

Vesna Forštnerič Lesjak, Matthias Rang & Meinhard Simon

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