A depiction, from the atheism timeline, of Goethean morality, namely a morality based on the symbols of physical chemistry, the logic of which, according to Heinrich Heine (c1810), “overturns everything holy”.

“The moral symbols in the natural sciences—for example that of the elective affinities invented and used by the great Bergman—are more intelligent and permit themselves to be connected better with poetry, even connected with society better than any others, which are, after all, even the mathematical ones, anthropomorphic. The thing is that the former (the chemicals) belong with the emotions, the latter (mathematics) belong with the understanding.”

— Johann Goethe (1809), “Conversation with Friedrich Reimer”, Jul 24 [1]

“Goethe sees morality arising from the human world of ideas. Only ideas that are clear in themselves, though which we give ourselves our own direction, can guide moral conduct, not objective norms or mere impulses. We love them as we love a child. We want to see them realized, and we intervene on their behalf because they are a part of our own being. The idea is the guideline for conduct, and love is the driving force in Goethean morality. For him duty means ‘to love what we have commanded ourselves to do’ (Verses in Prose).”

— Rudolf Steiner (c.1900), Nature’s Open Secret: Introduction to Goethe’s Scientific Writings (pg. #)