| Regaining Our Humanity by Sheila Foster, Class of 2008 Ed. A "self-evaluation" written for the First Year course on The Younger Generation. I believe the aspect in The Younger Generation that struck the strongest chord in me was the discussion about the void that modern humans are currently facing, and the role that scientific inquiry has had in helping to create that void. As someone trained in the sciences (my BA is in biology; my graduate training is in scientific communication and journalism, I spent the last ten years in the field of science communication), I have often felt the void Steiner describes, and have struggled with finding a means of maintaining what I value about science and scientific inquiry, without living a life devoid of spirit. I greatly appreciate Steiner's reflections in this area. One of the most instructive and enjoyable aspects of the course for me was learning about the background of history and the larger philosophical context out of which the lectures sprang. I found it particularly helpful that the course was paired with Topics in Anthroposophy. Together, the readings and the background made understanding Steiner's points in the lectures easier. Very helpful to me was the lecture on Steiner's own personal history. Understanding his development as a human being helped me to see and understand the context in which he was writing and enabled me to better plumb the depths of his thoughts. The concept that I found most helpful was the idea that passing through this stage of emptiness is critical to the overall evolution of humankind. It is easy for me to feel judgmental and saddened by the emptiness I see permeating out current society. I have found myself searching for answers by going back to older cultures - Native American, African - where spirituality and a connection to the natural world are valued in a heartfelt way. I have also felt in the last few years the need to heal the wound in Western culture - a wound of plaguing guilt for the destruction our culture has wreaked upon the world - and a desire to regain our humanity. Steiner thought that the objectivity that led us to better understand the mechanical underpinnings of life also swung the pendulum to the point where we yearned for the spiritual. He thought this was perhaps the eye of the needle through which humanity must pass in order to fully evolve. Steiner's view makes my own searching much clearer. I appreciated this insight and hope to deepen my understanding in upcoming years. |
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