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 1
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 . 2
Figure 2 Two representations of Rosenzweig’s star (a) Conventional Davidic hexad; (b) synchronic systems representation GOD ALL REVELATION REDEMPTION CREATION CREATION REVELATION ALL WORLD HUMAN WORLD GOD HUMAN REDEMPTION (b) (a) 3
Figure 3 Diachronic systems representation ALL CREATION REVELATION REDEMPTION GOD WORLD HUMAN 4
Figure 4 Adding attributes to elements & relations (a) Attributes mediate between elements and relations (b) Rosenzweig’s elements have attributes Sa Sache (substance), Tat (a ct) (c) Sa Sache (substance) + Tat (a ct) = Tatsache (fact) (d) Relations can also bind together attributes (e) Attributes carried by elements & relations are actualized potential. 5
Figure 5 Attributes of Rosenzweig’s elements Yes (y) & No (n) are Sache (substance) & Tat (act). 6
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. 7
Figure 7 Diachronics of Redemption First Creation, then Revelation, & finally Redemption achieve the ALL . ALL CREATION REDEMPTION GOD REVELATION CREATION REVELATION n y y n y n y n y n n y WORLD HUMAN power freedom being particulars character logos GOD REDEMPTION WORLD HUMAN CREATION REVELATION GOD CREATION REVELATION y n n y y y n y n n WORLD HUMAN power freedom being particulars character logos GOD WORLD HUMAN CREATION GOD CREATION y n y n y n n y WORLD HUMAN power freedom being particulars character logos TIME GOD WORLD HUMAN 8 (a) (b)
Table 1 Ascent towards unity Borrowing ideas from graph theory: Creation, Revelation, & Redemption are ascending steps in a “Lattice of Structures” of the ALL . 1 triadic relation GWH 3 dyadic relations (the star) GW:GH:WH 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 … Φ : Φ : Φ Nothings of elements No elements 9
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.” 10
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. . The Star G GWH intuition Part III GW:GH:WH experience Part II G:W:H thought Part I Φ : Φ : Φ 11
• 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. 12
Equal & unequal elements; mediation GOD GOD GOD WORLD HUMAN HUMAN WORLD WORLD HUMAN (b) Unequal (a) Equal, but asymmetric (c) Mediation 13
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 Tat BEHAVING act exchange System Tatsache essence Substance BEING Sache structure (a) (b) 14
In the middle: the ALL is not here now 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) REVELATION past future Present moment REDEMPTION CREATION TIME 15
The tetrad of number: three forms 16
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