A DIY, Sensual Approach to Science

I examine my own being, and find there a world, but a world rather of imagination and dim desires, than of distinctness and living power. Then everything swims before my senses, and I smile and dream while pursuing my way through the world. —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, "The Sorrows of Young Werther"

Science is often seen as a purely rational and objective pursuit in our modern world. But what if I told you that there was a way to bring a more subjective, sensual approach to science? This is where the Goethean approach to science comes in.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced Ger-Ter) was a German writer and naturalist who believed that science should be approached through the senses, rather than just through rational analysis. He believed that by observing nature and using our senses to gain a deeper understanding of it, we could unlock new insights and discoveries.

Countless visionaries, such as Rudolf Steiner and Carl Jung, found inspiration in Goethe's work. Steiner even wrote a book on Goethean Science, which highlights how Goethe combined art and science from a radically pure perspective.

Goethe’s world-historic significance lies, indeed, precisely in the fact that his art flows directly from the primal source of all existence, that there is nothing illusory or subjective about it, that, on the contrary, his art appears as the herald of that lawfulness that the poet has grasped by listening to the world spirit within the depth of nature’s working. At this level art becomes the interpreter of the mysteries of the world just as science is also, in a different sense. —Rudolf Steiner, originally published in German as, Einleitung Zu Goethes Naturwissenschaftliche Schriften, 1883

So how can we create a Goethean approach to science? Here are a few tips:

1. Engage all of your senses: When studying a particular subject, don't just rely on your eyes or your brain. Use your sense of touch, smell, and even taste to understand the subject more fully. Bring your pure presence and consciousness into observation.

2. Observe: Take your time to observe the details of the subject you're studying. Notice its colours, patterns, and textures. Pay attention to how it moves and interacts with its environment.

Check out Stephan Harding's observation of a plant using a Goethean approach (video is only 1 minute long):

3. Use your imagination: Don't be afraid to use your imagination when studying science. Try to visualize how different components of the subject might be working together, or how it might evolve over time from the mind's eye.

In observing nature in the large and in the small, I always have asked the question: Is it the object, or is it myself, which expresses itself here? In the same way I regard predecessors and collaborators.—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

4. Look for patterns: One of Goethe's key insights was that patterns in nature can reveal important information. Look for patterns in the subject you're studying, and try to understand what they might be telling you.

5. Embrace subjectivity: Finally, don't be afraid to embrace subjectivity in your scientific pursuits. While objectivity is important, it's also important to acknowledge that our own biases and perspectives can influence how we approach scientific questions. Isn't there something beautiful about incorporating our full range of perceptions into our work, even if they cannot be compared to an agreed-upon standard?

6. Live your daily life using your senses and develop the ability to perceive the world in a more sensual way. Just like when we train for a specific skill, our brain strengthens and creates new neural pathways the more we focus on "it" with the fullness of our senses. In 2015, I wrote a post about Nourishing the Body as an Art Form, which includes an experiment with a strawberry you can use to practice this method. Goethe was a practical researcher who used his personal garden to study botany and his home study to conduct research on color. He believed in a DIY approach to science which made it more accessible and exciting. Unlike Newtonian science, which can create barriers to entry and understanding, Goethe's approach was akin to the Sex Pistols and punk rock - a place where everyone could play no matter their background or classical training.

Incorporating these techniques into our scientific approach can help us achieve a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the natural world. So, the next time you study a subject, try to engage all of your senses and see where it takes you. You might be surprised by what you discover and the fun you can have along the way!

To explore this topic further, I highly recommend Daniel Christian Wahl's article, The Tip of the Iceberg’ Goethe’s Aphorisms on the theory of Nature and Science and this YouTube video on Goethe: