How to become an unprejudiced observer by exercises that include not sensory perceivable reality.

What is it about?

Homeopaths are challenged to recognise the experienced reality of the patient’s illness and at the same time to desist from subjective bias. Moreover, bias is induced by heuristics applied because of situational constraints. Sometimes phenomenology is suggested as approach suitable for homeopathy, as it embraces subjective experiences. Though, an inherent bias must be admitted, because phenomenology depends on subjective interpretation of the perceived appearances. Overcoming this problem, Steiner (1893/1963) has introduced objective idealism. This approach goes beyond phenomenology by respecting the “organising idea” in appearances. Reality is seen as the unification of a perceptible object with its constituent organising idea. The objective of anthroposophic schooling, epistemologically based on objective idealism, is to develop skills for recognising the organising idea of inanimated, living and ensouled objects, aiming at unbiased perception.

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Why is it important?

The homeopath’s utmost concern is to find the healing remedy for his/her patient. Observational skills being crucial for fulfilling this task, Hahnemann has introduced the “unprejudiced observer” (Hahnemann, 1842/1982, aphorism 6). He describes the needed skills and gives suggestions for practice comprising exercises to improve thinking, sensory perception, accurate naming, self-experience in homeopathic provings and the claim to desist from oneself and to focus completely on the patient (Hahnemann, 1825/1995). However, Hahnemann’s syllabus needs some completion regarding not sensory perceptible phenomena.

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