Prof. Dr. Bernd Rosslenbroich

Since 2024 // Professorship for Phenomenological Foundations of Natural Science and Biology at Alanus University, Waldorf Institute Campus Witten Annen,

2006 // Habilitation at the Faculty of Biosciences at Witten/Herdecke University
on the topic: “Increase in Autonomy as a Mode of Macroevolution”.

Since 2005 // Head of the Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Morphology at Witten/Herdecke University

1998 to 2005 // Research associate at the Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Morphology at Witten/Herdecke University,
with topics in evolutionary research as well as teaching responsibilities. Head: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schad

1989 to 1998 // At Witten/Herdecke University as part of a commission from the Federal Ministry of Research (BMBF) for the preparation and supervision of the state funding priority “Unconventional Medical Directions”.

1987 to 1989 // Postdoc at the Institute of Animal Physiology at the University of Giessen. Area of work: physiological studies on erythropoiesis. Physiological and pharmacological studies on recombinant erythropoietin. Teaching responsibilities in comparative animal physiology.

1987 // Completion of doctoral dissertation with the title: “Investigations into the Suitability of Fluosol as a Perfusion Medium in Isolated Limb Perfusion.”

1985 to 1987 // Civilian service at the therapeutic and educational home Echzell-Bingenheim, Wetterau, followed by employment there

1984 // Continuation of research work in the melanoma research group. Another several-month research stay at Ohio State University and Colorado State University in Denver

1983 // Several-month study and research stay at Ohio State University, Columbus, USA. Research work on physiological flow measurements in blood vessels.

From 1982 // Doctoral candidate in the melanoma research group at the University Surgical Clinic Giessen, Faculty of Human Medicine.

1977 to 1983 // Studied veterinary medicine at Justus Liebig University Giessen. Graduated with the state examination

Monographs and edited volumes

Rosslenbroich, B. (2023). Properties of Life – Toward a Theory of Organismic Biology. MIT Press, Cambridge MA. ISBN: 9780262546201

Rosslenbroich, B. (Ed.) (2020). Perspectives of a Biology of Freedom. Development of Autonomy in Nature, Culture and Landscape. Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben. ISBN 9783772528958

Rosslenbroich, B. (2018). Outline of a Biology of Freedom. The Question of Autonomy in Evolution. Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben. ISBN 978-3-7725-2859-0

Rosslenbroich, B. (2014). On the Origin of Autonomy. A New Look at the Major Transitions in Evolution. Heidelberg/ New York/ Dordrecht/ London: Springer Cham.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2007). Increase in Autonomy as a Mode of Macroevolution. Nümbrecht: Galunder Verlag. ISBN 978 3 89909 074 1

Rosslenbroich, B. (1994). The Rhythmic Organization of the Human Being. From Chronobiological Research. Stuttgart: Freies Geistesleben.

Scientific articles

Matthes H, Baars EW, Brinkhaus B, Christoph M, Edelhäuser F, Grah C, Gründemann C, Keßler C, Martin D, Michalsen A, Rosslenbroich B, Siroka J, Soldner G, Teut M, Vagedes J, Willich SN (2024): The Earth as a Living Organism: Contribution of Integrative Medicine to the Healing of Our Planet (One Health). Complementary Medicine Research 31, 477-483. DOI: 10.1159/000540226

Rosslenbroich, B., Bembé, B. (2024). Agency as an inherent property of living organisms. In Biological Theory 19, 224-236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13752-024-00471-7

Rosslenbroich, B., Kümmell, S., Bembé, B. (2024). Agency as an inherent property of living organisms. In Biological Theory. DOI 10.1007/s13752-024-00471-7

Rosslenbroich B (2023). Evolutionary changes in the capacity for organismic autonomy. In J. Wiley &Sons Ltd, The Journal of Physiology. DOI 10.1113/JP284414

Rosslenbroich B (2023). Human success as a complex of autonomy, adaptation and niche construction. In H. Desmond & G. Ramsey (Eds.), Human Success: Evolutionary Origins and Ethical Implications (pp. 40-65). Oxford University Press. DOI 10.1093/oso/9780190096168.003.0003

Rosslenbroich B (2022). History and present of organismic thinking in biology. In Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion am Goetheanum & Freie Hochschule Stuttgart (Eds.) Yearbook for Goetheanism 2022 (pp. 5-69). Stuttgart: Pädagogische Forschungsstelle Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-949267-70-3

Rosslenbroich, B. (2022). Methodological aspects in the investigation of the development of autonomy in evolution. In Edelhäuser F, Richter R, Soldner G (Eds.), Goetheanism and Medicine (pp. 187-203). Dornach: Verlag am Goetheanum. ISBN 978-3-7235-1697-3.

Bembé, B., Rosslenbroich, B. (2021). The Goethean scientific attitude in the context of recent biology and education. In Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion am Goetheanum & Freie Hochschule Stuttgart (Eds.) Yearbook for Goetheanism 2021 (pp. 113-133). Dornach: Tycho Brahe Verlag. ISBN 978-3-949267-27-7

Rosslenbroich, B. (2020). Modes of thought in biology – opposition and synthesis using the example of evolutionary theory and the concept of organism. In Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion am Goetheanum & Freie Hochschule Stuttgart (Eds.) Yearbook for Goetheanism 2020 (pp.81–102). Stuttgart: Pädagogische Forschungsstelle Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-944911-83-0

Rosslenbroich, B. (2019). Properties of the living. In Y. M. Zimmermann & R. Wallmann (Eds.) Biology in the Waldorf School. A Practical Handbook for Upper School Teachers (pp. 396–403). Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben.

Wallmann, R., Rosslenbroich, B. (2019). Goetheanism in modern biology teaching. In Y. M. Zimmermann & R. Wallmann (Eds.) Biology in the Waldorf School. A Practical Handbook for Upper School Teachers (pp. 390–395). Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2019). Evolutionary theory at the beginning of the 21st century. In Y. M. Zimmermann & R. Wallmann (Eds.) Biology in the Waldorf School. A Practical Handbook for Upper School Teachers (pp. 465–483). Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben.

Rosslenbroich, B., Zimmermann, Y. (2019). The relationship of biology teaching in the Waldorf school to modern science. In W. Hüttig (Ed.), Sciences in Transition. On Upper School Teaching in Waldorf Schools (pp. 53 – 90). Berlin: Berliner Wissenschaftsverlag. ISBN 978-3-8305-3928-5

Rosslenbroich, B. (2018). Properties of the living – steps toward an independent concept of the organism. In R. Ebersbach, J. Weinzirl, P. Heusser (Eds.), What Is Life? (Witten Colloquium Humanism, Medicine and Philosophy, Volume 6) (pp. 13 – 54). Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2017). Opposition and synthesis of styles of thought using the example of evolutionary theory. In J. Kaasch, M. & H. Kaasch, K.D. Torsten (Eds.), Styles of Thought and the Formation of Schools in Biology / Biology and Politics. Contributions to the 22nd Annual Conference in Giessen 2013 and 23rd Annual Conference in Bonn 2014 of the DGGTB (Proceedings on the History and Theory of Biology, Volume 19) (pp.139-149), Berlin: VWB-Verlag.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2017). The difference between human beings and animals is both gradual and fundamental. In Die Christengemeinschaft, 2017(7-8) (pp. 8-13). Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2016). The evolutionary significance of play. In Medizinisch-Pädagogische Konferenz, 2016 (78) (pp.6 – 34). Stuttgart: Pädagogische Forschungsstelle Stuttgart. (Reprint of the article from the Yearbook for Goetheanism 2014)

Rosslenbroich, B. (2016). Properties of Life: Toward a Coherent Understanding of the Organism. In Acta Biotheoretica 2016(64) (pp.277-307). DOI 10.1007/s10441-016-9284-1

Rosslenbroich, B. (2016). The whole animal is present in the human being, but not the whole human being in the animal. In J. Weinzirl & P. Heusser (Eds.), The Human Being, an Animal? The Animal, a Human Being? (Witten Colloquium Humanism, Medicine and Philosophy, Volume 4) (pp.13-54). Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2016). Phenomenological thinking – the underestimated significance of the Goethean research attitude in biology. In Elemente der Naturwissenschaft 2016 (104) (pp.49-58). Dornach: Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion am Goetheanum.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2016). The significance of an enhanced concept of the organism for medicine. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. In Hindawi, Vol. 2016, Article ID 1587652. DOI 10.1155/2016/1587652

Rosslenbroich, B. (2016). Alvaro Moreno and Matteo Mossio: Biological autonomy: a philosophical and theoretical enquiry. In Biology and Philosophy 31(4) (pp. 591-601). DOI 10.1007/s10539-016-9520-8

Rosslenbroich, B. (2015). Increase in autonomy in evolution up to the individuality of the human being. In J. Weinzirl & P. Heusser, Human Individuality – Lost and Sought Anew (Witten Colloquium Humanism, Medicine and Philosophy, Volume 3) (pp.13-26). Würzburg: Königshausen & Neumann.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2014). The evolutionary significance of play. In Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion am Goetheanum & Freie Hochschule Stuttgart (Eds.) Yearbook for Goetheanism 2014 (pp.3-35). Stuttgart: Pädagogische Forschungsstelle Stuttgart.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2013). Patterns and processes in macroevolution. In Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geschichte und Theorie der Biologie (Ed.), Annals of the History and Philosophy of Biology 2011(16)(pp.171-184). Universitätsverlag Göttingen.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2013). Phenomenological thinking in natural science. In Erziehungskunst 2013(2) (pp.52-53). Stuttgart: Bund der Freien Waldorfschulen e.V.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2013). Evolutionary research in the 21st century – on the relevance of the Goethean approach. In P. Heusser & J. Weinzirl (Eds.), Rudolf Steiner. His Significance for Science and Life Today (pp. 141 – 163). Stuttgart: Schattauer Verlag.

Rosslenbroich, M., Rosslenbroich, B. (2012). French-Spanish cave art – cradle of the autonomy of human consciousness. In die Drei 2012(11) (pp.25-41). Stuttgart: Anthroposophische Gesellschaft in Deutschland e.V.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2012). The biology of freedom. In die Drei 2012(10) (pp.15-35). Stuttgart: Anthroposophische Gesellschaft in Deutschland e.V.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2011). On the uniqueness of the human being (review of Gerhard Roth: How unique is the human being? The long evolution of brains and mind. 2010). In die Drei 2011(6) (pp.102-103). Stuttgart: Anthroposophische Gesellschaft in Deutschland e.V.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2011). Outline of a concept for organismic systems biology. In Seminars in Cancer Biology 21(3) (pp.156-164). DOI 10.1016/j.semcancer.2011.06001

Heusser, P., Neugebauer, E., Bienstein, C., Geraedts, M., Edelhäuser, F., Krapp, S., Lipps, H., Matthiessen, P., Rosslenbroich, B., Schad, W., Schnell, M., Wilm, S., Zänker, K., Hahn, E.G. (2011). Integrative and personalized healthcare – the view of Witten/Herdecke University. German Medical Science. 03.2011. Doc11ebm27. DOI: 10.3205/11ebm27, URN: urn:nbn:de:0183-11ebm277 –

Rosslenbroich, B., Heusser, P. (2010). Outline of an organismic systems biology. In Naturwissenschaftliche Sektion am Goetheanum & Freie Hochschule für Geisteswissenschaft in Dornach/CH (Eds.), Yearbook for Goetheanism 2010 (pp.7-39). Niefern Öschelbronn: Tycho Brahe Verlag.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2009). The theory of increasing autonomy in evolution: a proposal for understanding macroevolutionary innovations. In Biology and Philosophy 2009(24) (pp.623-644). Springer Nature. DOI 10.1007/s10539-009-9167-9

Rosslenbroich, B. (2009). Evolution from two perspectives. In die Drei 2009(10) (pp.93-99). Stuttgart: Anthroposophische Gesellschaft in Deutschland e.V.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2008). Is there higher development? Tasks of a Goethean evolutionary biology. In die Drei 2008(03) (pp. 39-58). Stuttgart: Anthroposophische Gesellschaft in Deutschland e.V.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2008). Existuje vyšší vývoj? Úlohy goetheanskej evolučnej biológie. Setkáni, Stretnutie 2008(17) (pp.12-19) (Akademie sociálního umění Tabor, Prague. Translation by Martin Bobko)

Rosslenbroich, B. (2006). On the emergence of autonomy in evolution – an overview. In Tycho de Brahe Yearbook for Goetheanism 2006 (pp.157 – 200). Niefern Öschelbronn: Tycho Brahe Verlag.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2006). The notion of progress in evolutionary biology – the unresolved problem and an empirical suggestion. In Biology and Philosophy 2006(21) (pp.41-70). DOI10.1007/s10539-005-0957-4.

Rosslenbroich, B. (2006). The search for patterns and trends in macroevolution – historical and current perspectives. In J. Kaasch, M. Kaasch, V. Wissemann (Eds.), Networks. Contributions to the 13th Annual Conference of the DGGTB in Neuburg an der Donau 2004. (Proceedings on the History and Theory of Biology, Volume 12) (pp.249-262). Berlin: VWB-Verlag.