Spiritual Science & Technology Reflections on a Recent Retreat

by Gary Lamb

In early December, thirty six people with a “strong connection to anthroposophy” met for three days in Chestnut Ridge, NY, to consider the dramatic advances in modern technology taking place, their impact on virtually every aspect of human life, and how we as anthroposophists can help guide this development in an ethical direction.

Everyone was required to read the first four chapters of Paul Emberson’s book, Machines and the Human Spirit, in which he gives an overview of some of Rudolf Steiner’s main indications on technology, along with his own perspectives. (1)

Michael Howard

Three types of technology

One of Emberson’s most intriguing interpretations of Steiner’s perspectives on technology is his division of it into three types: atomic, resonance, and moral. Nearly all conversation about technology today focuses on atomic or digital technology, which operates mainly by electricity, and, according to Steiner, has an affinity with the completed or finished dead thoughts mirrored in the brain rather than living thinking. That is, the generative activity of thinking itself. Steiner also suggests that the development of this type of technology, driven to a large extent by egoism, will eventually implode on itself.

Gopi Krishna Vijaya

Resonance technology rises above the subnatural realm of electricity and physical forces to the level of the human etheric body. Resonance technological devices or motors will operate through resonance with the vibrations of human etheric bodies. Thus, these machines will work for good or ill depending on the moral qualities of the inventor/operator, and operate only at the instigation of the creator. The inventions of John Worell Keely, and the Strader device portrayed by Steiner in his Mystery Dramas, are steps in the direction of resonance technologies.

Moral technology

Virginia Hermann

Virginia Hermann created a mural to illustrate the stages of technology as described by Paul Emberson and Rudolf Steiner.

The highest form of technology that Steiner speaks about is characterized by Emberson as moral technology. It will operate on spiritual forces found in nature and the cosmos. To harness moral forces of this higher type, Steiner suggests researchers investigate the rhythms found in the plant realm and the cosmic forces streaming in from certain constellations, specifically the constellations of Pisces and Virgo. The forces from these constellations, when employed in conjunction with morning and evening forces, “cannot be used by any group to gain ascendance and power over others.”

At this level of invention, it is not only possible to provide devices with motive power but also imbue them with life. The human being ascends to the level of being the creator of new living forms out of selfless love. Personal ambition or egoism can play no part in the development of moral technology. Invention and innovation become sacramental acts on behalf of humanity, not for profit or personal benefit.

From an anthroposophical perspective, technology plays a dual role in earth evolution, both destructive and constructive. The speed at which the atomic technology industry is developed could determine to a degree the life span of the earth. Too much, too soon of the atomic electricity-based type could shorten the intended life span and obviate the possibility of human beings developing the necessary counterbalancing spiritual faculties. So too, the development of moral technologies is integral in developing the future-bearing seed forces of love, which is the foundation for the next phase of human evolution.

One other thought Emberson expressed is of prime importance for us in the United States. Moral technology cannot be developed by lone researchers in isolation, but only through circles of people working together in study, research, and experimentation in the mood of selfless love. Collaboration within and between groups along with widespread iteration are key. Here Rudolf Steiner’s characterizations of the Reverse Ritual comes to mind, whereby individuals experience the higher being of each other, experience new community forms, and are elevated to the angelic realm.

Gary Lamb

In our final session we shared delicate imaginations of what working together in the pursuit of moral technology could look like within the anthroposophical movement: in our local communities, schools, farms, Sections of the School of Spiritual Science, and branches of the Anthroposophical Society.

These are some of the profound thoughts that weaved through our deliberations as we wrestled also with more immediate issues such as screen addiction, invasion of privacy, platform monopolies, artificial intelligence, robotics, mind manipulation, digital school curricula, and EMF radiations.

If you would like to read a more detailed account of the retreat and/or be kept informed of future technologyrelated events and activities, please contact Gary Lamb at glamb@thecenterforsocialresearch.org or 518-697-9167.

Gary Lamb is co-director of the Center for Social Research, a member of the Hawthone Valley Association, in Ghent, NY.

Note: The Retreat was sponsored by the Threefold Educational Center and the Hawthorne Valley Center for Social Research with financial support from The Rudolf Steiner Charitable Trust.

1 Appreciation of Emberson’s work did not imply that these were the only valid perspectives on Spiritual Science and technology. Also, it was not always clear when Emberson was expressing his own views or Steiner’s, due in part to a lack of referencing.