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Anthroposophy, a philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner, postulates the existence of an objective, intellectually comprehensible spiritual world that is accessible by direct experience through inner development. More specifically, it aims to develop faculties of perceptive imagination, inspiration and intuition through the cultivation of a form of thinking independent of sensory experience,〔Robert McDermott, ''The Essential Steiner'', ISBN 0-06-065345-0, pp. 3–11, 392–5〕〔("Anthroposophy" ), Encyclopædia Britannica online, accessed 10/09/07〕 and to present the results thus derived in a manner subject to rational verification. Anthroposophy aims to attain in its study of spiritual experience the precision and clarity attained by the natural sciences in their investigations of the physical world.〔 The philosophy has double roots in German idealism and German mysticism〔Christian Clement (ed.), ''Rudolf Steiner: Schriften über Mystik, Mysterienwesen und Religionsgeschichte''. Frommann-holzboog Verlag, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, 2013. ISBN 978-3-7728-2635-1. p. xlii〕 and was initially expressed in language drawn from Theosophy. Anthroposophical ideas have been applied practically in many areas including Steiner/Waldorf education, special education (most prominently through the Camphill Movement), biodynamic agriculture, medicine, ethical banking, organizational development, and the arts.〔〔〔(Heiner Ullrich, "Rudolf Steiner" ), ''Prospects: the quarterly review of comparative education'' (Paris, UNESCO: International Bureau of Education), vol. XXIV, no. 3/4, 1994, p. 555–572.〕〔 The Anthroposophical Society has its international center at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Modern analysts, including Michael Shermer, have termed anthroposophy's application in areas such as medicine, biology and biodynamic agriculture pseudoscience. ==History== The early work of the founder of anthroposophy, Rudolf Steiner, culminated in his ''Philosophy of Freedom'' (also translated as ''The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity'' and ''Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path''). Here, Steiner developed a concept of free will based on inner experiences, especially those that occur in the creative activity of independent thought.〔 By the beginning of the twentieth century, Steiner's interests turned to explicitly spiritual areas of research. His work began to interest others interested in spiritual ideas; among these was the Theosophical Society. From 1900 on, thanks to the positive reception given to his ideas, Steiner focused increasingly on his work with the Theosophical Society becoming the secretary of its section in Germany in 1902. During the years of his leadership, membership increased dramatically, from a few individuals to sixty-nine Lodges.〔Of these, 55 Lodges – about 2,500 people – were to secede with Steiner to form his new Anthroposophical Society, at the end of 1912. Geoffrey Ahern, ''( Sun at Midnight: the Rudolf Steiner Movement and Gnosis in the West, 2nd edition )'', 2009, James Clark and Co, ISBN 978-0-227-17293-3, p. 43〕 By 1907, a split between Steiner and the mainstream Theosophical Society had begun to become apparent. While the Society was oriented toward an Eastern and especially Indian approach, Steiner was trying to develop a path that embraced Christianity and natural science.〔Gary Lachman, ''Rudolf Steiner'', New York:Tarcher/Penguin ISBN 978-1-58542-543-3〕 The split became irrevocable when Annie Besant, then president of the Theosophical Society, began to present the child Jiddu Krishnamurti as the reincarnated Christ. Steiner strongly objected and considered any comparison between Krishnamurti and Christ to be nonsense; many years later, Krishnamurti also repudiated the assertion. Steiner's continuing differences with Besant led him to separate from the Theosophical Society Adyar; he was followed by the great majority of the membership of the Theosophical Society's German Section, as well as members of other national sections.〔〔 By this time, Steiner had reached considerable stature as a spiritual teacher.〔Ahern, Geoffrey. (1984): Sun at Midnight: the Rudolf Steiner movement and the Western esoteric tradition〕 He spoke about what he considered to be his direct experience of the Akashic Records (sometimes called the "Akasha Chronicle"), thought to be a spiritual chronicle of the history, pre-history, and future of the world and mankind. In a number of works,〔especially ''How to Know Higher Worlds'' and ''An Outline of Esoteric Science''〕 Steiner described a path of inner development he felt would let anyone attain comparable spiritual experiences. Sound vision could be developed, in part, by practicing rigorous forms of ethical and cognitive self-discipline, concentration, and meditation; in particular, a person's moral development must precede the development of spiritual faculties.〔 In 1912, the Anthroposophical Society was founded. After World War I, the Anthroposophical movement took on new directions. Projects such as schools, centers for those with special needs, organic farms and medical clinics were established, all inspired by anthroposophy. In 1923, faced with differences between older members focusing on inner development and younger members eager to become active in the social transformations of the time, Steiner refounded the Society in an inclusive manner and established a School for Spiritual Science. As a spiritual basis for the refounded movement, Steiner wrote a "Foundation Stone Meditation" which remains a central meditative expression of anthroposophical ideas. Steiner died just over a year later, in 1925. The Second World War temporarily hindered the anthroposophical movement in most of Continental Europe, as the Anthroposophical Society and most of its daughter movements (e.g. Steiner/Waldorf education) were banned by the National Socialists (Nazis);〔Inge Hansen-Schaberg and Bruno Schonig (eds.), ''Waldorf-Pädogogik'', ISBN 3-8340-0042-6〕 virtually no anthroposophists ever joined the National Socialist Party.〔Helmut Zander, ''Anthroposophie in Deutschland'', ISBN 978-3-525-55452-4. P. 250〕 By 2007, national branches of the Anthroposophical Society had been established in fifty countries, and about 10,000 institutions around the world were working on the basis of anthroposophy. In the same year, the Anthroposophical Society was called the "most important esoteric society in European history."〔Tom Grote, ("Kosmische Wirkkräfte" ), German Radio interview 8 August 2007〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Anthroposophy」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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