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The threefold nature of the human being and the universe is by far the most fruitful idea of anthroposophy because it opens the possibility of grasping the soul being of the human being in its dependence on both the physical and the spiritual world. But deploying this idea fruitfully presents at the same time greater difficulties than do most… Read More

Some botanical observations on the origin of functionality through degeneration

The obvious correlation between the special form of a plant species and its living conditions easily leads to the assumption that a plant organism has, so to speak, 'made' its organs like tools in order to be able to exist. Here we shall attempt to show how… Read More

The constructions of bower birds — remarks on the principle of compensation

The bowerbirds of New Guinea and Australia build laborious bowers and decorate the courtship sites around them. The artistic arrangement is unique in the bird world. Just as the males of the closer related birds of paradise display their splendid plumage, the… Read More

Goethe's discovery of leaf metamorphosis in the Howering plants was a rediscovery. But through him it entered into the general consciousness and was, in its thorough understanding of development, the pre-supposition for all evolutionary theory. Furtherrnore, he discovered in connection with it the metamorphosis of the leaf metamorphoses itself… Read More

Reflections on the formative biology of bee swarms

Throughout their entire life cycle, honey bees are closely connected to their environment and receive important shaping stimuli from their surroundings. Thus it is not a gene that determines whether an egg will turn into a worker or a queen, but rather the shaping stimulus arising from… Read More

The metamorphosis of antler forms

Among the many forms of antlers there is a formative law that is common to them all, an 'archetype' in the Goethean sense. Firstly, this 'archetypal antler' is grasped as a common Bauplan, as a scheme of different parts and their spatial relations to one and other. Elements of this Bauplan, which by… Read More

The relationships of cancer to mineralising and bone—forming processes can be demonstrated at various levels. For example, breast tumours frequently show microcalcification deposits whose morphology and chemical composition indicate the kind of illness involved. According to R. Steiner's indications regarding the activity of calcium carbonate… Read More

Proving or testing? Reflections on research into formative forces. A progress report

The present state of discussion of the validation of research into formative forces is presented. Specific conditions regarding reproducibility, variation and psychological influences have to be taken into account. Based on these experiences and… Read More

After a general overview of the phylum Cnidaria with their bilayered structure and two Characteristic life forms, polyp (sessile) and medusa (mobile), the Anthozoa, which comprise their own class, are examined in detail by focusing on the colony- forming Anthozoa, which are also referred to as corals. We can distinguish two fundamentally… Read More