research & reviews IN THIS SECTION: In a wide-ranging interview from a book in progress, Johannes Kühl of the Goetheanum leadership talks about his path into anthroposophy and the place of anthroposophical research and insights in the fields of natural science. Then reviews from the Rudolf Steiner Library Newsletter team explore three large questions. First is the Anthroposophical Society’s difficulties and failures during the period of fascist ascendancy in Europe. Second is how to approach Rudolf Steiner’s most fundamental book, The Philosophy of Freedom, out of today’s consciousness. And third is the rich relationship between Steiner’s work and Goethe’s great play Faust with its vast perspectives. Finally, anthroposophic doctor Adam Blanning invites us into some holistic ways of looking at illness, in this case the organic significance of a cancerous tumor. 42 •
being human
Interview: Johannes Kühl of the Natural Science Section by Robert McKay Johannes Kühl was born in 1953 in Hamburg, Germany. He studied physics in Hamburg and Göttingen, and worked on fluid dynamics at a Max Planck Institute. After studying at the Natural Science Section at the Goetheanum, he taught physics, chemistry and mathematics at the Stuttgart Uhlandshöhe Waldorf school. Since 1996, he has been the leader of the Natural Science Section at the Goetheanum and a member of the Collegium of the School for Spiritual Science. His research interests include Goetheanistic optics, quantum physics, fluid dynamics, and the relation of technology and culture. He is the author of a number of books and articles including a wonderful book on rainbows and other atmospheric colors that will soon be published in English translation by Adonis Press. He is married and has four adult children. Question 1 – How did you first encounter anthroposophy? Can you tell us something of your journey in becoming an anthroposophist? I was born to anthroposophical parents and went to a Waldorf school so I was destined to meet anthroposophy. Of course, there are many steps or levels of coming to know anthroposophy. One important step for me came in the ninth grade, when I was fifteen years old. Several students, myself included, asked one of the teachers to tell us something about Rudolf Steiner. We knew that the school had an anthroposophical background and that this had to do with Steiner but we wanted to hear what this was really all about. The teacher thought about it for a while and then agreed to work with the students but only in the afternoon after school was over. The work would not be part of the school but had to be a separate activity. This led to the formation of a study group that included several teachers and about twenty high school students. We worked through various texts and lectures over several years. That was the beginning of my study of Rudolf Steiner. Now, if you are born into anthroposophy as I was, there comes a certain moment where you have to decide if anthroposophy is really something of your own or not. If you are going to become an anthroposophist, you have to claim your connection to it through your own decision. For me that took place after I had finished school. I went to work on a biodynamic farm for a year, instead of doing military service in Germany. While I was there, I had time to think, and time to read in the evenings and the early mornings. Gradually, I came to the realization, yes, anthroposophy is something I want for myself. It was even a little bit that I wanted to show