Potential: The Janus-Faced Dynamic
Janus, the ancient god of the Romans, was always depicted with two faces. This represented him looking both toward the past and toward the future simultaneously; he presided over transitions, gates, passages, be it conflict, change, life; the first calendar month of January is named after him.
On some level, he stands as a very apropos figurehead for Potentialism.
Infinite, ongoing transition and metamorphosis is a bedrock of modern Potentialism theory.
Quick-reference glossary:
Summa = 3-volume Summa Metaphysica philosophy treatise by David Birnbaum
[1988,2 005, 2014] (see Philosophy1000.com)
Theory of Potential = Potentialism explicated in Summa (see TheoryCore.com)
Q4P = Quest for Potential = core dynamic in Potentialism (see Sequence1000.com)
E+ = Extraordinariation = end-goal of Q4P (see Extraordinariation.com)
In layman’s terms, Q4P describes the common, universal drive of the cosmos — a drive that steers the cosmos towards endlessly greater levels of Complexity/Sophistication (see ExaminerPurpose.com). This Complexity/Sophistication builds towards what Potentialism refers to as Extraordinariation, or E+. E+ itself is considered a state of hyper-Complexity, a hypothetical infinite level of Complexity which does not actually exist, but is rather the horizon end-goal of the cosmos.
Also, much like Potentialism, Janus represents a fundamental duality — polar opposites which, while different sides of the equation, are inexorably bound to one another. Such is the natural interrelationship found in Q4P∞ → E+. The duality is a necessity. Without one side, the other side of the equation would have insufficient ‘cosmic energy.’ Cosmic-push Q4P provides the irresistible, universal drive but it does not achieve ‘cosmic traction’ in and of itself without Extraordinariation (E+), the irresistible cosmic pull-force. E+ provides the direction/goal/motivation for the drive o Q4P.
Trying to discuss Q4P in the absence of E+, or conversely E+ in the absence of Q4P does not stand up. The two are a duality, a matched pair of so-to-speak opposites. Duality, in turn, is engrained into the very heart and essence of the cosmic order, and in turn, of Potentialism; it is thus impossible to describe one without its relation to the other. While Western philosophy might be tempted to deny the fundamentals of duality in existence, it has long been embraced as fact in Eastern philosophy — embodied within Yin and Yang.
Yin — the female — represents the concealed, hidden and passive — something drawing towards itself as in the female attracting the male.
Yang — the male — represents light, the material world and the active — the pursuing male.
Such comparisons to Q4P and E+ as embodiments of male and female aspects of the cosmos are quite common within its cosmology. Anyone dismissive of the concept as merely philosophical constructs, risks being inundated with real world examples of dualities — electrons and protons, light and dark, matter and void…. the list is seemingly endless.
Potentialism’s unique power is, of course, its embodiment of future potentialities: Q4P embodies within itself the past and the future, Past-Present-Future — all are hinged together in the overarching Janus-faced cosmic dynamic of Potential. Beginnings are totally hinged to ‘endings’ and vice versa. Without E+, Q4P has no ‘energizing goal’; without Q4P, E+ is not approachable. On some level, E+ is imprinted on the core of Q4P; on some level, approaching Q4P energizes E+ to ever new heights.
Potentialists regard with wry humor that Janus is often considered a synonym for deceitful. Being two-faced, it became popular to not trust something truly dichotomous. The implication was that an innately dichotomous nature could not be trusted and consistent. But Potentialism has dealt a blow to previous conventions, showing both the validity of dichotomy and its omnipresence in the natural world. Janus would smile.
Janus, like the Q4P >>> E+ dynamic, is ultimately one inextricably inter-related super-dynamic. The dynamic is simultaneously scientific, neo-spiritual and metaphysical; indeed the theory (uniquely) unifies Science, Spirituality and Philosophy.
The three respective volumes of Summa Metaphysica are subtitled Religious Man, Spiritual Man, and Secular Man respectively; Potentialism’s Quest for potential core dynamic can authentically be viewed through either of the three lenses: as the classic Divine of Religious Man (the Summa I lens), as infinite divine potential of Spiritual Man (the Summa II lens) or as the transcendent dynamic of Secular Man (the Summa III lens). Through any of the three lenses, the goal is embedded in the quest, and the quest is somehow embedded in the goal. In other words, Janus-like.
Remember the former things of old;
That I am God, and there is none else;
I am God, and there is none like Me;
Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things
That are not done
— Isaiah 46:9-10
Summa Metaphysica is a seminal work; it entirely changes the way we look at our universe. Volume I was published by Ktav (NJ), and the subsequent two volumes were published by New Paradigm Matrix (NY). Over a dozen institutions of higher learning — ranging from UCLA on the West Coast to Brandeis on the East Coast to Hebrew University in Jerusalem — have assigned the work as a Course Text. Bard College (Upstate NY) hosted a 4-day international academic conference on the treatise in April 2012 (see Conference1000.com). Over 30 feature articles have focused on Summa’s Theory of Potential in the past 12 months alone (see SummaCoverage.com).
No flaw — scientific or conceptual — has been discerned in the heavily-vetted and diligently-defended Theory of Potential in the 25+ years since it was introduced to the world by Birnbaum via Ktav Publishing in late 1988 (see ParadigmChallenge.com). Janus would smile.
