Our Approach
Bay of Naples by Goethe. (Morgan Library & Museum)
At The Nature Institute we look at things in new ways. As Goethe once wrote,
“After what I have seen of plants and fish in Naples and Sicily, I would be tempted — were I ten years younger — to undertake a journey to India, not to discover something new, but to view in my own way what has been discovered there.”
This way of engaging with nature Goethe described as a form of “delicate empiricism.” In our research we develop a science of phenomena, an approach that is contextual, qualitative, and holistic — what we often call “Goethean science.”
We strive to observe and think with the phenomena of nature in a way that reveals their qualities and relations. We see science as a participatory process, as a dialogue with nature. We work to develop dynamic and flexible thinking that can perceive wholeness and do justice to the rich complexity of the world. We are intent on overcoming the limitations of a mechanistic view of life and, instead, learning from life itself to think in more living ways. We place human experience at the center of scientific inquiry.
Publications on the Goethean phenomenological approach
“Goethe and the Evolution of Science” by Craig Holdrege (2014)
Curious about Goethean science, a special interest group of the New York Academy of Sciences invited Craig Holdrege to speak on the topic in October 2013. Craig has expanded that talk into an essay. It is a good place to start for anyone curious about what we mean by “Goethean science.”
Thinking Like a Plant by Craig Holdrege (2013)
How can we develop an awareness of the transformational nature of life that can increasingly inform our own thoughts and actions, so that we become more conscious and responsible participants in an evolving earth? This book directly addresses that question. It is written as a practical guide that shows, through concrete and vivid examples, how we can learn from the context dependency of plants to think and act in more dynamic and context-sensitive ways. Read an excerpt from this book.
“Phenomenon Illuminates Phenomenon” by Craig Holdrege (2011)
“Doing Goethean Science” by Craig Holdrege (2005)
This essay describes the practice of a Goethean approach. It was part of a special issue of the interdisciplinary journal Janus Head that focused on Goethe’s approach to science. Fourteen essays discussed Goethe’s “delicate empiricism” from a variety of perspectives. Craig was one of the volume’s guest editors. We also have a Portuguese translation of Craig’s article.
“The Experiment as Mediator of Object and Subject” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1790/2010)
Goethe’s seminal essay describes the nature of scientific knowing and experimentation. See also our webpage about Goethe.
“To Explain or Portray” by Stephen L. Talbott (2003)
“Toward an Ecological Conversation” by Stephen L. Talbott (2002)
“Where Do Organisms End?” by Craig Holdrege (2000)
Our Research Areas
In our research we attempt to shed new light on phenomena in the process of science and education. Areas that we research include:
Other Resources
Besides the above areas of current research, you will also find:
Research on technology
Research on soil and agriculture
The Ronald H. Brady Archive that houses all of Brady’s most significant publications on the philosophical foundations of Goethean science and other topics
The largest library in the English language of physicist and educator Martin Wagenschein’s work
A bibliography of works pertaining to Goethean science, primarily by other authors
Links to related organizations