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© J. Glenn Friesen 2003-2006 |
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Glossary of Terms
All temporal reality is a differentiation of supratemporal reality. Particular meaning comes out of the unity and totality of meaning. Supra-individual and supratemporal reality is made individual and temporal. Cosmic time is the prism that causes this differentiation of meaning. Particularized meaning is subject to differentiated laws, by which meaning is "limited and determined (I, 51). Dooyeweerd distinguishes between the law in its central religious unity and its temporal diversity (NC I, 99). The law in its central meaning is love. Individuality comes from out of the supratemporal root. Our individuality, as well as the individuality of the cosmos comes out of it. This religious root differentiates and unfolds itself (NC II, 7, 8, 418, 561). Both law and individual subjectivity have religious unity and temporal diversity (NC I, 507). Sometimes Dooyeweerd seems to use the term' differentiation' as the differentiation into the aspects, and the word 'particular' as the further differentiation that is recognized in theory (I, 21). We find particularity in the diversity (I, 59). Particularized meaning is related to sovereignty within a sphere (I, 71). Concepts are limited to particularity of meaning within the diversity of meaning. (I, 63). General concepts try to "level" this particular meaning (I, 43). Without the cosmic differentiation into aspects, there could be no theorizing, which is the splitting apart and joining together of meaning. We must not confuse this cosmic diversity of meaning with the diversity of distinctions within the logical itself (I, 22). To make this confusion is the error of logicism. Some kinds of mysticism (See Nagarjuna in Buddhist thought) seem to think that it is our logical engage in logicism when they set out the view that it is logical distinction that causes the differentiation in the world to appear and that if we stop theorizing, we return to unity. Dooyeweerd's mysticism emphasizes that the diversity of meaning still remains even when by religious self-reflection we return to the concentration point of meaning. Thus, Dooyeweerd's mysticism, as an embodied mysticism, preserves the validity and importance of theory. We are not to seek a pure consciousness experience. Even in the afterlife, there will continue to be some kind of expression in a body. All diversity of meaning is bound to the religious root of mankind for its meaning and reality:
Revised Aug 21/06 |
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