.ll 72
.fo off
.co on 
.ce ((Editor's comments in double parenthesis - Homer))
 
.ce Copyright (C) Flemming A. Funch
.ce Redistribution rights granted for non commercial purposes
 
Technical Essay # 41 - FAF 13 May 1991

.ce Triads


The representation of universal principles in triads (triangles) is very useful. The triangular
structure is very fundamental to the universe and observation of it can provide guidance in
understanding phenomena.

This universe is built on polarities, it is a two-pole universe. The polarities, or dichotomies,
can manifest as plus-minus, outflow-inflow, good-evil, beautiful-ugly, yin-yang, male-female,
and as a whole bunch of other things.

The opposites are attracted to each other, but are inherently in conflict because they are
different. This is what creates all the drama in the universe and what makes it interesting.

The opposite polarities are created by splitting something that is whole into two different
parts. They really complement each other, but if they are not allowed to re-unite they will
engage in an interaction, battle, or game of some sort.

The discharge or flow between the two polarities create the third possibility: dynamic
interaction. This is the third state, the interchange.

The polarities and the interchange is what can be represented as a triad. Together they
represent the possibilities in a particular view on life.

The most well known triad is the ARC triangle:



The separation of the two subjects of affinity and reality create an interchange which is
communication. It might not be immediately clear why affinity and reality could be considered
polarities. They symbolize a separation of theta into that which has a closeness to or liking of
something (affinity) and the subject matter itself (reality). That is ultimately a false division, but
one that allows the game of life to take place. It introduces the idea that one has to
communicate in order to get reality.

Same thing with Be-Do-Have



By separating beingness from havingness we accomplish a flow which is doingness. That is,
a beingness has to do something in order to get a havingness. That is really only true in this
universe, a static can "have" whatever it wants without doing anything.

A more generic triad would be:



meaning that if we split up plus and minus we get a difference in potential that will cause a
discharge, a flow, to occur. The flow is not necessarily one-way. The natural discharge in this
universe is alternating current, a two-way flow.

We could also see it in terms of the tone scale, or as a life cycle:



None of the three states are the true state of theta. Two states are artificially separated and
the third state is the result of their interaction.

Out of this we get cycles of action, we get infinite degrees of variation between the two poles,
and we get a necessity for balance. See, this whole thing only works well if the two poles are
of comparable magnitude and if they are allowed to exchange with each other.

The whole game in this universe is to explore the infinite variety of possible interaction
between poles. It is the polarization that is making the game, but it is between them that it is
played. Therefore the optimum, most important, most interesting corner of the triangle is the
top one: communication, doingness; but it does not in itself provide the resolution to the
game.

Each triad also has a unified aspect; what the three corners add up to. For the ARC triad, for
example, it is understanding. It is the purpose of the triad and it is what we get if the three
aspects are in harmony. It is what we had to split up in order to create the triad. When we add
up the three parts again we get what we started with. It might not be easy to put words on
what the unified aspect is for most of the triangles. Really it is "theta" or "static" for all of them
because that is what we started with.

We persuade a static to split himself up into plus-static (his viewpoint in the universe) and
minus-static (the universe itself) and we get a game like the one we are playing.



If we "finish" the game we get back to the static state we started with, but with the added
experience of having played the game.

The game is basically to harmonize the polarizations, to work out the conflicts. There are two
ways, two directions, we can go in doing that. You can either allow the poles to become more
the same and thereby lessen the conflict. That could be called an identification of the
polarities. Or you could work out a way of allowing the poles to persist, but without conflict.
That could be called differentiation.

That means, we can either bring the three aspects so close to each other that they are the
same and won't be in conflict. Or, we can bring them so far apart that it is very apparent that
they are different and don't have to be engaged in conflict. The in-between zone of
association is where the lines are blurred and conflict takes place because of confusion.



Note that Identification-Association-Differentiation is in itself also a triad. The optimization of
triads is an activity with triadic properties. Or said differently, there are at least two dimensions
of triads, and probably more. 3 dimensions would be likely. I still have a hard time
conceptualizing that.

All the triads and triads within triads are inherently traps, or said more positively, a way of
making a game persist.