1096. Before we now go on to point out the rightful place of individual, specific forms of thought in the cycle and express them as "perfect" and "imperfect", we must realise on what basis a "thought" can be said to represent some degree or other of "imperfection", which means an unfinished or underdeveloped state. What phenomenon can then constitute the foundation upon which the quality of the "thought" so unquestionably and unshakeably is affirmed? Indeed precisely here the same phenomenon holds true as that which determines the degree of evolution of a "living being". We have long since learnt that evolution represents a scale of steps extending from "primitivity" to "high-intellectuality". This phenomenon is an unshakeable fact. There is no one who can rightfully claim that the goal and the evolution of the "civilised human being" goes in the direction of becoming a "primitive human being". Is it not an unshakeable fact that the opposite is the case? Is it not just as unshakeable a fact that our forefathers lacked all the various results of the function of intelligence that today have turned the Earth into a technical wonderland in which the elements are increasingly controlled and made to work for the human being by merely pressing buttons? Indeed, are we not well on our way to replacing these buttons with "photo cells" or the like, enabling us, with the mere shadow or emanations from our hand, to start up enormous power plants and thereby put the elements to work producing for us the "creation" desired? It is true that these great talents have not reduced the terrestrial human being's death-dealing activity, his manifestation of war or his egoistic elbowing his way forward at the expense of his "neighbour's" death and mutilation, but it does not of course change the fact that the material talents themselves and the ability arising from these are absolutely gigantic in relation to what our forefathers were able to achieve with regard to their relationship to the elements or the forces of Nature. That death and destruction, egoistic elbowing one's way forward over the corpses and unhappiness of one's "neighbour", is a kind of thought that in its evolution is not on a level with technical thinking and ability, but is some distance behind them, is only what becomes obvious through the analysis of the "living being's" thought that has been begun here.
      Everywhere the creative processes of Nature follow a logical sequence. The creation of the Earth, for example, took place only gradually from an inferior state to an increasingly perfect one until it finally became a fitting abode for plants, animals and human beings. The embryo in the womb develops from a microscopic cell into a perfect organism for a "living being", summer develops gradually from spring, and autumn from summer and so on. Nothing whatsoever that is subject to the great creative process of Nature, which must of course be acknowledged as the absolutely most perfect creative process in existence, appears to be chaotic. And none of the cases mentioned evolve in the opposite order so that the Earth becomes a shining mist and disappears into the universe, and the organism of the "living being" becomes a microscopic cell, while summer develops into spring instead of into autumn. And under Nature's special law for movement and creation, the "living being's" very "thought" constitutes no exception. "Thought" also begins at a rather primitive state and evolves further and further towards a hundred-per-cent perfection, which means absolute "genius".