12. Philosophy and Theosophy

After a long series of purely theosophical lectures, we want to speak today from a different tone, so to speak, [speaking from a completely different point of view, namely more philosophical]. I would therefore ask you to take into consideration from the outset that today's lecture is not theosophical in the true sense of the word, and that the purely philosophical tone that must be struck may appear somewhat abstract and difficult to some who are not used to moving in such directions of thought. This happens for a very specific reason; it happens because again and again, and especially in those circles that have or believe to have a certain philosophical education, the opinion must arise (I expressly choose the word “must”) that Theosophy is actually only to be approved of by people who have not progressed beyond a certain dilettantism in philosophical or scientific matters. However, one could easily think in these circles that those who have a thorough philosophical education, who have learned what the foundations of scientific certainty and conviction are, cannot really concern themselves with all the fantasy, with all that which confronts them as supposedly higher experience; this is something for those who are not yet ripe for scientific thinking. In order to recognize what such a judgment is actually about, let us take a look at the philosophical activity itself, so to speak. Of course, this can only be done very briefly today, only in hints [and sketchily, because strictly and thoroughly proven]; but if we ever have the opportunity to speak in more detail about such things, then you will see that these hints are taken out of a large [and true] context [which is easily apparent on closer examination].