Diachronics of Redemption: A Systems Theoretic Exploration of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Diachronics of Redemption:

A Systems Theoretic Exploration of Rosenzweig’s Star

Martin Zwick

Systems Science Program Portland State University Portland Oregon 97207 USA zwick@pdx.edu

http://www.pdx.edu/sysc/research-systems-theory-and-philosophy “Back to Redemption,” International Rosenzweig Society Conference, February 17-20, 2019, Van Leer Institute, Jerusalem, Israel

Figure 1 Diagrams in the Star Each of these three diagrams introduces a part of the book; at its beginning all three are displayed on a single page arranged vertically.

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Figure 2 Two representations of Rosenzweig’s star (a) Conventional Davidic hexad; (b) synchronic systems representation

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(b) CREATION REDEMPTION REVELATION

ALL

WORLD GOD HUMAN (a) HUMAN WORLD GOD REVELATION CREATION REDEMPTION

ALL

Figure 3 Diachronic systems representation

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HUMAN WORLD GOD CREATION REVELATION REDEMPTION

ALL

Figure 4 Adding attributes to elements & relations (a) Attributes mediate between elements and relations (b) Rosenzweig’s elements have attributes Sa Sache (substance), Tat (act) (c) Sa Sache (substance) + Tat (act) = Tatsache (fact) (d) Relations can also bind together attributes (e) Attributes carried by elements & relations are actualized potential.

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Figure 5 Attributes of Rosenzweig’s elements Yes (y) & No (n) are Sache (substance) &Tat (act).

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Figure 6 Incompleteness, inconsistency or reversal Attributes as carried by elements  attributes as carried by relations. Incompleteness: attributes B and A’ not involved in any relation; hence potential, not fully actual. Inconsistency: attributes A and B’ have two different values when carried by elements or relations. Reversal: attribute values might be viewed as reversing when value carried by element differs from value carried by relation. Reversal can be viewed as supplementation as opposed to replacement.

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Figure 7 Diachronics of Redemption

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y n y y n n

ALL REDEMPTION REVELATION CREATION GOD

n y being power

WORLD

n y logos particulars

HUMAN

n y character freedom

HUMAN WORLD GOD REVELATION CREATION REDEMPTION

(a) (b)

n y y n

REVELATION CREATION GOD

n y being power

WORLD

n y logos particulars

HUMAN

n y character freedom

HUMAN WORLD GOD REVELATION CREATION

y n

CREATION GOD

n y being power

WORLD

n y logos particulars

HUMAN

n y character freedom

HUMAN WORLD GOD CREATION

TIME

First Creation, then Revelation, & finally Redemption achieve the ALL.

Table 1 Ascent towards unity

Borrowing ideas from graph theory: Creation, Revelation, & Redemption

are ascending steps in a “Lattice of Structures” of the ALL.

9 GWH 1 triadic relation GW:GH:WH 3 dyadic relations (the star)

REDEMPTION

GW:GH GW:WH WH:GH 2 dyadic relations

REVELATION

GW:H GH:W WH:G 1 dyadic relation

CREATION

Elements G:W:H No relations … Nothings of elements Φ:Φ:Φ No elements

Figure 8 Borromean rings & the three-fold cord The fully integrated form for GWH: God, World, & Human (in the perspective of elements as equal) as three interlocked Borromean

• rings. “A triple stranded cord is not easily broken.”

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Table 2 Stages of knowledge of the ALL Knowledge of the ALL is gained via thought, then experience, then

• intuition. A level transcending GWH is beyond human knowledge.

.

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G

The Star GWH intuition Part III GW:GH:WH experience Part II G:W:H thought Part I Φ:Φ:Φ

• Thank you.
• Acknowledgment: This paper draws extensively from Pollock’s

Franz Rosenzweig and the Systematic Task of Philosophy (2009), which made Rosenzweig’s thought accessible to the author and inspired this study.

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Equal & unequal elements; mediation

(b) Unequal

HUMAN

WORLD

GOD HUMAN WORLD GOD (a) Equal, but asymmetric HUMAN WORLD GOD (c) Mediation

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Structure & function

These attributes characterize synchronic structure & function. “Tatsache” and “system” label the whole double cone figure, not merely its vertex. (a) Rosenzweig’s terminology; vertex is “AND” that binds substance (y) & act (n) (b) Systems-theoretic terminology: mine, GERARD’S, duCoudray’s (EsEx). [A similar dyad in Chinese philosophy: substance(essence)-function]

function

BEHAVING

exchange

System

essence

BEING

structure (b) Tat

act

Tatsache

Substance

Sache (a)

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In the middle: the ALL is not here now

REVELATION CREATION REDEMPTION

TIME

Present moment

past future

The human perspective of the present moment: creation is what is ‘at hand’, redemption is an anticipated ‘not yet’.

Synchronic double-cone figure (structure/function) turned 90°  diachronic (past/future)

The tetrad of number: three forms

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