T. M. Copeland
Works in Progress
The following is new essay that promulgates a new theory of creation. The new theory, Iunctian Theory, does not speak to the theological implications of creation or life but does offer an interesting take on the behavior of life and creation.
IUNCTIAN THEORY
Iunctus is a Latin word generally translated as “joined together, connected, united.” Pronounced e´unk tus, it derives from the root word iugo meaning “to bind together, connect, couple.” Iunctian is used to label a view of life and creation that attempts to describe, in purely secular terms, all existence. Actually, the descriptive system proposed is even more ambitious. It seeks to describe all creation including things that are not, strictly speaking, in existence but are conceivable. As conceivable things, these too are part of “Creation” as defined below.
Iunctian theory does not embody any theological implications. It neither presupposes the existence of any such thing as a soul nor denies such existence. Likewise, iunctian theory neither presupposed the existence of a Creator being nor does it deny that possibility. Iunctian theory has theological/religious meaning only to the extent that all things in existence can be incorporated into a religious construct if that is desired by the religion’s adherents. Just as bread, sex, death, birth, music and every other thing in existence can be incorporated into the liturgy, dogma, ritual, etc. of religion. To the same degree, it is possible that iunctian theory can be incorporated into one or more religious belief structures as well. However, such an incorporation is not the intent of the author of the theory and, in and of itself, iunctian theory contains no theological meaning of any kind.
Within iunctian theory there is no conception of good and evil. While the theory does not deny the fact that there are good and evil impacts upon individuals in life, it does not recognize these concepts as relevant to the mechanism of life/creation as defined herein. The theory does not deny the concepts of good and evil or the subsequent reward/punishment awaiting persons based upon an individual’s behavior, after what is commonly termed “life” is no more. To do so would require that some element of judgement of behavior be incorporated into the theory. Iunctian theory does not accommodate judgement of behavior and can, therefore, not accommodate the concepts of good and evil. Within the limits of the author’s knowledge and understanding, iunctian theory is limited to the observation and definition of the behavior of the entire closed system of creation and those elements of individual behavior required to accomplish that objective.
Iunctian theory is just that, theory. The theory makes no claim to be received knowledge, special wisdom, fact or any other authoritarian label. The theory is an attempt, based on extremely limited knowledge and understanding, to formulate a coherent descriptive system of life/creation. In this effort a number of commonly used words are defined in specific ways. In each case the definitions used fall within the broader, generally accepted definitions of the terms. However, as used in this theory, the words so defined below are limited in their meanings to the definitions provided. If used otherwise, the words will be enclosed in quotation marks.
Definitions
Consumption: The metamorphosis, via heat exchange, of one substance into another requiring the chemical and physical modification of both.
Heat Exchange: The flow, internally and/or externally, of energy within and between substances. During the process of heat exchange, quantifiable changes in substance occur. Such changes may be measured in terms of chemical content and/or physical condition but always involve the release, internally and/or externally, of energy.
Heat: A measure of energy in terms of relative temperature.
Momentum: The property of all existence that keeps things moving in the prevalent direction until such time as a countervailing force of sufficient strength alters that movement. As used herein, “movement’ refers to the prevailing direction of anything moving, whether moving physically in time and space or conceptually headed in a direction that is not physical or material, and any other concept of movement whatsoever.
Flow: The process by which one substance and/or entity is connected to all other substances and/or entities within creation.
Pivot: That instant in which the momentum between two equal and opposite forces reverses.
Thing: Any perceivable and/or conceivable discrete item of existence including, but not necessarily limited to, tangible, intangible, corporeal, incorporeal, present, unpresent, animate, inanimate, known, unknown, physical or non physical items.
Organism: An entity that reproduces itself though asexual or sexual means.
Sex: The process by which certain substances or entities replicate (reproduce) using the consumption of other substances to expand its population. Sex is one form of metamorphosis by which life flows from one substance to another. Sex may or may not involve one or more individual specimens of the substance or entity involved in replication. If only one individual is involved, the process may be termed asexual. If more than one individual is required to replicate, the process may be termed sexual.
Death: That transformative instant when a given substance or entity has been consumed to a point such that it can no longer function as an operating substance or entity as it was prior to the instant of transformation.
Life: When used to describe the animating and/or singularity force in a discrete substance or entity, is the continuous process of consumption of substances or entities by other substances or entities.
Creation: Consists of everything, whether animate or inanimate, whether sexual or non sexual, whether within or without any known physical boundaries of existence, whether present and/or unpresent, whether concrete or abstract, whether permanent or ephemeral, whether corporeal or incorporeal. “Life,” when used as a term to describe the totality of “life” within creation, and “creation” are synonymous terms.
An Iunctian View of Life
Life, when used in terms of a discrete substance or entity, is broadly defined as the consumption of one substance or entity by another. This definition seeks to take the process of ever changing life to its most basic denominator. Whether one envisions life as being limited to animal and vegetable matter capable of traditional definitions of reproduction or a broader, iunctianist definition that encapsulates all matter and non matter, the simple “consumption” definition is inclusive.
Iunctially speaking, reproduction of life by asexual or sexual means is one form of the consumption that results in a metamorphosis based on heat exchange involving a physical and/or chemical modification as required to meet the definition of ongoing life. On the other hand, non sexual forms of metamorphosis, such as rapid and slow oxidation, various common forms of decay, escape of particles of matter or energy into space outside the Earth’s atmosphere also meets the definition of “life,” in iunctian terms. These non sexual forms of consumption are assumed to be far more prevalent within creation than sexual forms of consumption.
Common definitions of life refer to discrete substances or entities that replicate themselves though sex. Such definitions also define life as something that is discretely limited to each such individual substance or entity. This “discrete” view of life assumes life is extinguished upon the “death” of the individual substance or entity when it ceases to function and is transformed, through consumption, into other substances or entities.
Iunctianism assumes that life does not “die” when an individual substance or entity begins transformation, through consumption, into other substances or entities. Iunctianism assumes that what is commonly termed “death” is the instant at which consumption of one entity by another, or many others, prevents the consumed entity from continuing to function in a manner consistent with past behavior recognizable with its past “life.”
The Principal of Indestructible Life
Iunctianism assumes that life is not severable or discrete. Iunctianism assumes life is a consistent whole extending to and encompassing all creation. Iunctianism assumes that life, to the extent that creation is indestructible, is indestructible. Iunctianism is based upon the principal that, so long as creation exists, life cannot be destroyed.
The Survival Imperative
The principal of the indestructibility of life, based upon its synonymous meaning as creation and predicated upon an understanding derived from observation and logic, requires that a primary imperative of life is continued survival. This imperative manifests itself, within discrete substances and entities, in 1) behaviors that place the highest value on the discrete individual substance and/or entity not being changed by being consumed and/or 2) behaviors that insure individual stability and population growth of a specific type of substance or entity by consuming.
The Consumption Corollary
The survival imperative, predicated upon a further understanding derived from observation and logic, requires, for coherence and meaning, that consuming be acknowledged as the primary means of sustaining survival. Consumption by one substance or entity of another sustains survival of the consuming substance or entity in two ways. First, the process of consumption is the means by which replication of the consuming substance or entity is accomplished. Second, consumption, for purposes other than replication; e.g. nutrition, environmental modification, is necessary for the consuming substance or entity to remain in its current form.
The Principal of Singularity
All life is singular and the same. There is no distinction in type, character, mechanism or means within life. Life consists of a single, continuously connected and singular flow of energy.
The principal of singularity assumes that creation and, therefore, life is a closed system. However, the system is not closed at any point of limitation or demarcation short of the “boundaries” of creation. Creation, being all encompassing, has no boundaries and, therefore, life is capable of passing to and through all creation and does so. There is no element of life or creation that is severed from or severable from the rest of life and creation. Life and creation are one and the same and are a single thing.
Joint and Severable Obligation and Responsibility Imperative
All substance and all entities, whatever the composition thereof, contained within creation are jointly and severally obligated to and responsible for the following:
Maintenance of itself in its current form to the degree that is both possible and consistent with the Survival Imperative.
Consumption of other forms of substance and/or entities consistent with the Consumptive Corollary
Adherence to joint and severable obligation and responsibility as defined above is not subject to the will of any individual substance or entity of life, it is imperative. However, cognitive and/or sentient substances/entities can and do independently interpret the best means of acting in accordance with joint and severable obligation and responsibility.
Collective and Individual Intelligence Corollary
Cognitive and/or sentient substances/entities can and do exercise individual, specific intelligence and judgment. However, because joint and severable obligation and responsibility is an imperative control over behavior, independent intelligence is contained within a collective, singular intelligence. Independent and collective intelligence relate to and effect each other to no less a degree than individual and collective physical activities relate to and effect each other.
The Principal of Immateriality
The principal of immateriality assumes the indestructibility of life renders the beginning and the end of creation irrelevant and, therefore, to conceive of an understanding of creation requires no definition of a Creator. Though the principal of immateriality does not preclude the existence of a Creator, the existence or non existence of a Creator and the nature of that Creator is not outside the ongoing process of the totality of life. Creation is a continuous and connected process of consumption and change that operates within all creation. If there is a Creator, that entity is part and parcel to creation and is part of the the totality of life. As a non severed part of life, as expressed under the principal of singularity and governed by the joint and several obligation and responsibility imperative and the collective and individual intelligence corollary, a Creator is either another synonym for creation or is contained within creation and consumes and is consumed by other substances and/or entities.
The principal of immateriality does not preclude the potential of a Creator influencing the activities of life generally or the activities of an individual entity or group of individual entities. The principal of immateriality does not preclude the potential that a Creator can alter the process of activities within creation. The principal of immateriality asserts only that any Creator that exists does so within creation not outside it and that such a Creator is subject to the same governance as all other substances and entities within creation.
Iunctian theory holds that, to the extent a Creator exists and exercises an independent will upon other substances/entities within creation, it does so within the governing behavioral structure of creation.
The Principal of Opposites
The principal of opposites holds that all life is subject to two opposing environmental demands.
Cooperative Coexistence
The first is the demand that all life must live in coexistence with some other forms of life. That is to say, there is no substance or entity of life that exists without forming a dependence upon some other substance and/or entity. Likewise, there is no form of substance or entity in creation upon which some other forms of substances and/or entities are not dependent.
Predator/Prey Relationship
Though also a form of coexistence, the predator/prey model of coexistence is a non cooperative form of the relationship each substance/entity has with one or more other substances/entities. Coexistence is often thought of as relating to the cooperative relationship between different types of substances/entities. While all substances/entities do exist in a cooperative coexistence model, it is also true that all substances/entities exist in a predator/prey relationship with other substances/entities. it is also true that all substances/entities are both predators of other substances/entities and the prey of still other substances/entities.
The Interval Imperative
All creation exists within a behavioral framework that requires intervals of dominance between the opposite forces that act upon it. This is true throughout creation and is not less a factor in the existence of all creation than it is in the existence of the least significant, in human reckoning, discrete individual substance/entity. As all creation is subject to the equal and opposite forces of cooperative and predator/prey models of coexistence, at all times one or the other of these forces is dominant in the existence of a substance/entity. The dominance of one force over the other is reversed in an instant called a pivot. The pivot is the instant when the dominance of one force is over taken by the other and the momentum in the tension between these forces is reversed.
The Treason Corollary
Between two equal and opposite forces there comes a time in which the success of one becomes counterproductive to the momentum it creates. As the success of one force reaches a critical point beyond which momentum can not be sustained, such as the successful reduction by a predator of the population of a predator’s prey that will, eventually, lead to starvation in the predator and a rebound in the population of the prey, the continued application of that force begins to work against itself. As that force starts to work against itself it combines with the equal and opposite force and momentum pivots and begins to flow in the opposite direction, in favor of the opposing force. The combination of equal strength added to the shift in momentum will result in movement in the opposite direction until such time as the opposing “treason” moment is reached and that force begins to work against itself, resulting in a pivot back to the opposite direction.
The Tides of Creation
Where We Are And How We Got Here
Modern theories of physics use science and mathematics to attempt an explanation of the behavior of the universe and the possibility of a multiverse system of universes. Until the first half of the last century, physicists posited a steady state theory of the universe’s behavior. In 1931, based on the work of his own and of many other physicists in the preceding decades, Georges Lemai^tre, a physicist and Roman Catholic priest, formally posited what has become known as the “Big Bang” theory to explain the current, past and future behavior of the universe.
Proponents of the steady state theory, while recognizing modern measuring techniques were making defense of a steady state increasingly difficult, accused Lemai^tre, and other proponents of one or more versions of the Big Bang theory, of injecting God into science. Whether or not such was the hope and intent of Lemai^tre, the theory he put forth, and other similar theories, did address the phenomenon of an ever expanding universe.
Later in the last century, the decade of the 1970s and 1980s, as scientists continued to debate both the merits and the precise nature of universal behaviors, the existence of both dark matter and dark energy was posited and “proved.” Dark matter was proposed as a solution to the problem of there not being enough observable matter to account for the gravitational attraction between galaxies present in the universe. From this discovery scientist posited that as much as 90% of all matter in the universe may well consist of unobservable or “dark” matter. The only presumed alternative to the existence of dark matter is accepting that gravity does not work the way we understand it to do.
At about this same time dark matter was “discovered,” measurements of the rate of expansion in the universe indicated that the universe’s expansion had begun to dramatically accelerate around the time it was about one half its current age and is continuing to accelerate. As was the case with the defining of dark matter, the proponents of modern physics were faced with a choice between abandoning almost everything they knew about physical behavior or expanding the number of known “actors” on physical behavior. General relativity required that, in order to explain this acceleration in the rate of expansion of the universe, much of the energy in the universe must be dark energy.
While the exact nature of dark energy is not known, scientist have determined that, in its current state, the universe is composed of the following proportions: 72% dark energy, 23% dark matter, 4.6% regular matter and 1% neutrinos¹. Dark energy, according to some current thinking, is expanding its percentage of the entire universe. This expansion is itself due to the decrease in energy density of matter as the universe continues to expand. However, dark energy density remains constant during the universe’s continued expansion. Therefore, as expansion continues more and more of the universe will consist of dark energy and less and less will consist of matter.
The Future
Whither the big bang? This is a question that occupies much of the scientific community’s, the physicists at least, time and attention. There are a great number of scenarios that have been offered. However, they can all be boiled down to two categories, perpetual motion or the steady state condition known as heat death².
Steady at the end
If the universe is headed to a steady state condition in which all matter and energy are dissipated into a steady state condition of heat death, then life and creation itself shall cease to exist. While it is entirely possible that the “laws” of physics that govern behavior are meaningless on the margins of existence, it still leaves unresolved where the heat energy so dissipated goes. Whether or not life and existence is a continuous heat exchange, as is assumed by Iunctian Theory, it is never the less true that in order for heat to dissipate it must be exchanged for the cold of absolute zero which is, mathematically speaking, impossible. Assuming the existence of any heat, what-so-ever, there is no mathematical way heat can be dissipated to absolute zero. Absolute zero can only be achieved within a confined space and only because all heat is dissipated to somewhere else. In a situation, such as all creation, where there is no “somewhere else,” there is no place to ultimately and fully dissipate heat, any amount of heat. Unless the physics of heat exchange function differently on the boundaries of existence it does not seem possible that a steady state can be achieved by the universe at any stage of its existence.
Perpetual motion
An alternative to the notion of an eventual demise of the universe through slow loss of heat due to never ending expansion is the tidal theory of universal behavior. The big bang, if it occurred, is a horizon beyond which we can not observe. It is, for our current mastery of observational techniques, the beginning of both time and space, the beginning of the universe itself. However, there are new theories that posit the universe is the result of several expansions and contractions and not a single, never ending expansion. Even heat death proponents make room in their postulations that the universe may well have experienced several iterations of expansion and contractions. The theory is, each successive expansion lasts longer and is greater than its predecessor.
Whether these successive tidal flows of universal expansion and contraction are headed for heat death or a never ending cycle of ebb and flow, it is generally agreed that the end of the expansion and the existence of the universe prior to the advent of the big bang, are beyond measurable and observable horizons. So, we do not know and cannot know, given the limitations of current information and techniques for discovery, with scientific certainty whither we are headed.
Assuming for the moment that, whether we are headed for heat death, a mathematical impossibility, or an endless tidal existence, the universe has experienced a series of big bangs followed by an equal number of big crunches with periods of expansion and contraction sandwiched between them: we must still ask what drives this cycle? The negative pressure, perhaps the stuff of dark energy, of the vacuum can be used to explain the power of the universe to expand in the face of the gravitational force of attraction objects have for one another. However, once an expansion cycle, or contraction cycle, has begun, what acts to reverse the dominant direction?
Just as the ratio of the composition of the universe between energy and matter changes in favor of energy as the universe expands, the ratio of energy to matter favors matter as the universe contracts. At the point of maximum contraction, the instant before the cycle reverses itself and expansion begins, the combination of the intense heat from the pressure of contraction forces enough counter pressure on the matter in the universe so that a modicum of expansion begins internally in the matter. Combined with the negative pressure, a powerful attractive force in itself, this heat induced expansion tips the scales in favor of expansion and, once tipped, is not stopped until reversed when the expansion reverses itself.
Why does the expansion reverse? Just as the negative pressure of the vacuum combines with the internal expansion of matter from the intense heart generated by the pressure of maximum contraction, the negative pressure of the vacuum, at some point, ceases to be a predominately outward pull, due to the wide dispersal of matter, and combines with the gravitational forces of attraction matter has for other matter. As with the contraction to expansion pivot (big bang), the expansion to contraction pivot (big crunch) occurs at a point when the relative strength of the forces governing the behavior of the universe; i.e., the combination of internal negative pressure from the vacuum(s) existing between objects of matter and the gravitational attraction such objects have for one another, the expanding universe is tipped in favor of contraction and momentum pivots away from expansion.
This never ending cycle presupposes an impossibility, a perpetual motion system. However, perpetual motion is impossible due to friction, gravity and other outside physical forces working against an operation. In the case of all creation, there is no outside influence to mitigate against the operation of the cycle. Therefore, on a theoretical basis, there is no reason such an endless system cannot exist.
The theory of perpetual tides is theoretically “true” only if the universe, the multiverse, whatever it is called, constitutes all creation. It is, therefore, a closed system. It is the totality, from which nothing, not even heat, can escape and over which no force outside the system can exert any influence.
The Theory of Perpetual Tides
Creation is in a constant state of expansion or contraction. As such there is no beginning or end. At full contraction the combination of intense heat generated from the pressure of contraction causes internal expansion in compressed matter. This internal expansion combines with the far greater force of the negative pressure of the vacuum to reverse contraction and begin expansion. Likewise, as matter becomes less and less a component of creation and energy becomes more and more predominate, the spaces between matter forms countervailing vacuum pressure that works against the vacuum pressure pulling the universe apart. This countervailing vacuum pressure combines with the gravitational attraction of matter for itself and expansion is reversed in favor of contraction. The points of maximum contraction and maximum expansion are called pivots. These pivots are the points in time at which the forces acting on creation reverse themselves.
IUNCTIAN THEORY
Iunctus is a Latin word generally translated as “joined together, connected, united.” Pronounced e´unk tus, it derives from the root word iugo meaning “to bind together, connect, couple.” Iunctian is used to label a view of life and creation that attempts to describe, in purely secular terms, all existence. Actually, the descriptive system proposed is even more ambitious. It seeks to describe all creation including things that are not, strictly speaking, in existence but are conceivable. As conceivable things, these too are part of “Creation” as defined below.
Iunctian theory does not embody any theological implications. It neither presupposes the existence of any such thing as a soul nor denies such existence. Likewise, iunctian theory neither presupposed the existence of a Creator being nor does it deny that possibility. Iunctian theory has theological/religious meaning only to the extent that all things in existence can be incorporated into a religious construct if that is desired by the religion’s adherents. Just as bread, sex, death, birth, music and every other thing in existence can be incorporated into the liturgy, dogma, ritual, etc. of religion. To the same degree, it is possible that iunctian theory can be incorporated into one or more religious belief structures as well. However, such an incorporation is not the intent of the author of the theory and, in and of itself, iunctian theory contains no theological meaning of any kind.
Within iunctian theory there is no conception of good and evil. While the theory does not deny the fact that there are good and evil impacts upon individuals in life, it does not recognize these concepts as relevant to the mechanism of life/creation as defined herein. The theory does not deny the concepts of good and evil or the subsequent reward/punishment awaiting persons based upon an individual’s behavior, after what is commonly termed “life” is no more. To do so would require that some element of judgement of behavior be incorporated into the theory. Iunctian theory does not accommodate judgement of behavior and can, therefore, not accommodate the concepts of good and evil. Within the limits of the author’s knowledge and understanding, iunctian theory is limited to the observation and definition of the behavior of the entire closed system of creation and those elements of individual behavior required to accomplish that objective.
Iunctian theory is just that, theory. The theory makes no claim to be received knowledge, special wisdom, fact or any other authoritarian label. The theory is an attempt, based on extremely limited knowledge and understanding, to formulate a coherent descriptive system of life/creation. In this effort a number of commonly used words are defined in specific ways. In each case the definitions used fall within the broader, generally accepted definitions of the terms. However, as used in this theory, the words so defined below are limited in their meanings to the definitions provided. If used otherwise, the words will be enclosed in quotation marks.
Definitions
Consumption: The metamorphosis, via heat exchange, of one substance into another requiring the chemical and physical modification of both.
Heat Exchange: The flow, internally and/or externally, of energy within and between substances. During the process of heat exchange, quantifiable changes in substance occur. Such changes may be measured in terms of chemical content and/or physical condition but always involve the release, internally and/or externally, of energy.
Heat: A measure of energy in terms of relative temperature.
Momentum: The property of all existence that keeps things moving in the prevalent direction until such time as a countervailing force of sufficient strength alters that movement. As used herein, “movement’ refers to the prevailing direction of anything moving, whether moving physically in time and space or conceptually headed in a direction that is not physical or material, and any other concept of movement whatsoever.
Flow: The process by which one substance and/or entity is connected to all other substances and/or entities within creation.
Pivot: That instant in which the momentum between two equal and opposite forces reverses.
Thing: Any perceivable and/or conceivable discrete item of existence including, but not necessarily limited to, tangible, intangible, corporeal, incorporeal, present, unpresent, animate, inanimate, known, unknown, physical or non physical items.
Organism: An entity that reproduces itself though asexual or sexual means.
Sex: The process by which certain substances or entities replicate (reproduce) using the consumption of other substances to expand its population. Sex is one form of metamorphosis by which life flows from one substance to another. Sex may or may not involve one or more individual specimens of the substance or entity involved in replication. If only one individual is involved, the process may be termed asexual. If more than one individual is required to replicate, the process may be termed sexual.
Death: That transformative instant when a given substance or entity has been consumed to a point such that it can no longer function as an operating substance or entity as it was prior to the instant of transformation.
Life: When used to describe the animating and/or singularity force in a discrete substance or entity, is the continuous process of consumption of substances or entities by other substances or entities.
Creation: Consists of everything, whether animate or inanimate, whether sexual or non sexual, whether within or without any known physical boundaries of existence, whether present and/or unpresent, whether concrete or abstract, whether permanent or ephemeral, whether corporeal or incorporeal. “Life,” when used as a term to describe the totality of “life” within creation, and “creation” are synonymous terms.
An Iunctian View of Life
Life, when used in terms of a discrete substance or entity, is broadly defined as the consumption of one substance or entity by another. This definition seeks to take the process of ever changing life to its most basic denominator. Whether one envisions life as being limited to animal and vegetable matter capable of traditional definitions of reproduction or a broader, iunctianist definition that encapsulates all matter and non matter, the simple “consumption” definition is inclusive.
Iunctially speaking, reproduction of life by asexual or sexual means is one form of the consumption that results in a metamorphosis based on heat exchange involving a physical and/or chemical modification as required to meet the definition of ongoing life. On the other hand, non sexual forms of metamorphosis, such as rapid and slow oxidation, various common forms of decay, escape of particles of matter or energy into space outside the Earth’s atmosphere also meets the definition of “life,” in iunctian terms. These non sexual forms of consumption are assumed to be far more prevalent within creation than sexual forms of consumption.
Common definitions of life refer to discrete substances or entities that replicate themselves though sex. Such definitions also define life as something that is discretely limited to each such individual substance or entity. This “discrete” view of life assumes life is extinguished upon the “death” of the individual substance or entity when it ceases to function and is transformed, through consumption, into other substances or entities.
Iunctianism assumes that life does not “die” when an individual substance or entity begins transformation, through consumption, into other substances or entities. Iunctianism assumes that what is commonly termed “death” is the instant at which consumption of one entity by another, or many others, prevents the consumed entity from continuing to function in a manner consistent with past behavior recognizable with its past “life.”
The Principal of Indestructible Life
Iunctianism assumes that life is not severable or discrete. Iunctianism assumes life is a consistent whole extending to and encompassing all creation. Iunctianism assumes that life, to the extent that creation is indestructible, is indestructible. Iunctianism is based upon the principal that, so long as creation exists, life cannot be destroyed.
The Survival Imperative
The principal of the indestructibility of life, based upon its synonymous meaning as creation and predicated upon an understanding derived from observation and logic, requires that a primary imperative of life is continued survival. This imperative manifests itself, within discrete substances and entities, in 1) behaviors that place the highest value on the discrete individual substance and/or entity not being changed by being consumed and/or 2) behaviors that insure individual stability and population growth of a specific type of substance or entity by consuming.
The Consumption Corollary
The survival imperative, predicated upon a further understanding derived from observation and logic, requires, for coherence and meaning, that consuming be acknowledged as the primary means of sustaining survival. Consumption by one substance or entity of another sustains survival of the consuming substance or entity in two ways. First, the process of consumption is the means by which replication of the consuming substance or entity is accomplished. Second, consumption, for purposes other than replication; e.g. nutrition, environmental modification, is necessary for the consuming substance or entity to remain in its current form.
The Principal of Singularity
All life is singular and the same. There is no distinction in type, character, mechanism or means within life. Life consists of a single, continuously connected and singular flow of energy.
The principal of singularity assumes that creation and, therefore, life is a closed system. However, the system is not closed at any point of limitation or demarcation short of the “boundaries” of creation. Creation, being all encompassing, has no boundaries and, therefore, life is capable of passing to and through all creation and does so. There is no element of life or creation that is severed from or severable from the rest of life and creation. Life and creation are one and the same and are a single thing.
Joint and Severable Obligation and Responsibility Imperative
All substance and all entities, whatever the composition thereof, contained within creation are jointly and severally obligated to and responsible for the following:
Maintenance of itself in its current form to the degree that is both possible and consistent with the Survival Imperative.
Consumption of other forms of substance and/or entities consistent with the Consumptive Corollary
Adherence to joint and severable obligation and responsibility as defined above is not subject to the will of any individual substance or entity of life, it is imperative. However, cognitive and/or sentient substances/entities can and do independently interpret the best means of acting in accordance with joint and severable obligation and responsibility.
Collective and Individual Intelligence Corollary
Cognitive and/or sentient substances/entities can and do exercise individual, specific intelligence and judgment. However, because joint and severable obligation and responsibility is an imperative control over behavior, independent intelligence is contained within a collective, singular intelligence. Independent and collective intelligence relate to and effect each other to no less a degree than individual and collective physical activities relate to and effect each other.
The Principal of Immateriality
The principal of immateriality assumes the indestructibility of life renders the beginning and the end of creation irrelevant and, therefore, to conceive of an understanding of creation requires no definition of a Creator. Though the principal of immateriality does not preclude the existence of a Creator, the existence or non existence of a Creator and the nature of that Creator is not outside the ongoing process of the totality of life. Creation is a continuous and connected process of consumption and change that operates within all creation. If there is a Creator, that entity is part and parcel to creation and is part of the the totality of life. As a non severed part of life, as expressed under the principal of singularity and governed by the joint and several obligation and responsibility imperative and the collective and individual intelligence corollary, a Creator is either another synonym for creation or is contained within creation and consumes and is consumed by other substances and/or entities.
The principal of immateriality does not preclude the potential of a Creator influencing the activities of life generally or the activities of an individual entity or group of individual entities. The principal of immateriality does not preclude the potential that a Creator can alter the process of activities within creation. The principal of immateriality asserts only that any Creator that exists does so within creation not outside it and that such a Creator is subject to the same governance as all other substances and entities within creation.
Iunctian theory holds that, to the extent a Creator exists and exercises an independent will upon other substances/entities within creation, it does so within the governing behavioral structure of creation.
The Principal of Opposites
The principal of opposites holds that all life is subject to two opposing environmental demands.
Cooperative Coexistence
The first is the demand that all life must live in coexistence with some other forms of life. That is to say, there is no substance or entity of life that exists without forming a dependence upon some other substance and/or entity. Likewise, there is no form of substance or entity in creation upon which some other forms of substances and/or entities are not dependent.
Predator/Prey Relationship
Though also a form of coexistence, the predator/prey model of coexistence is a non cooperative form of the relationship each substance/entity has with one or more other substances/entities. Coexistence is often thought of as relating to the cooperative relationship between different types of substances/entities. While all substances/entities do exist in a cooperative coexistence model, it is also true that all substances/entities exist in a predator/prey relationship with other substances/entities. it is also true that all substances/entities are both predators of other substances/entities and the prey of still other substances/entities.
The Interval Imperative
All creation exists within a behavioral framework that requires intervals of dominance between the opposite forces that act upon it. This is true throughout creation and is not less a factor in the existence of all creation than it is in the existence of the least significant, in human reckoning, discrete individual substance/entity. As all creation is subject to the equal and opposite forces of cooperative and predator/prey models of coexistence, at all times one or the other of these forces is dominant in the existence of a substance/entity. The dominance of one force over the other is reversed in an instant called a pivot. The pivot is the instant when the dominance of one force is over taken by the other and the momentum in the tension between these forces is reversed.
The Treason Corollary
Between two equal and opposite forces there comes a time in which the success of one becomes counterproductive to the momentum it creates. As the success of one force reaches a critical point beyond which momentum can not be sustained, such as the successful reduction by a predator of the population of a predator’s prey that will, eventually, lead to starvation in the predator and a rebound in the population of the prey, the continued application of that force begins to work against itself. As that force starts to work against itself it combines with the equal and opposite force and momentum pivots and begins to flow in the opposite direction, in favor of the opposing force. The combination of equal strength added to the shift in momentum will result in movement in the opposite direction until such time as the opposing “treason” moment is reached and that force begins to work against itself, resulting in a pivot back to the opposite direction.
The Tides of Creation
Where We Are And How We Got Here
Modern theories of physics use science and mathematics to attempt an explanation of the behavior of the universe and the possibility of a multiverse system of universes. Until the first half of the last century, physicists posited a steady state theory of the universe’s behavior. In 1931, based on the work of his own and of many other physicists in the preceding decades, Georges Lemai^tre, a physicist and Roman Catholic priest, formally posited what has become known as the “Big Bang” theory to explain the current, past and future behavior of the universe.
Proponents of the steady state theory, while recognizing modern measuring techniques were making defense of a steady state increasingly difficult, accused Lemai^tre, and other proponents of one or more versions of the Big Bang theory, of injecting God into science. Whether or not such was the hope and intent of Lemai^tre, the theory he put forth, and other similar theories, did address the phenomenon of an ever expanding universe.
Later in the last century, the decade of the 1970s and 1980s, as scientists continued to debate both the merits and the precise nature of universal behaviors, the existence of both dark matter and dark energy was posited and “proved.” Dark matter was proposed as a solution to the problem of there not being enough observable matter to account for the gravitational attraction between galaxies present in the universe. From this discovery scientist posited that as much as 90% of all matter in the universe may well consist of unobservable or “dark” matter. The only presumed alternative to the existence of dark matter is accepting that gravity does not work the way we understand it to do.
At about this same time dark matter was “discovered,” measurements of the rate of expansion in the universe indicated that the universe’s expansion had begun to dramatically accelerate around the time it was about one half its current age and is continuing to accelerate. As was the case with the defining of dark matter, the proponents of modern physics were faced with a choice between abandoning almost everything they knew about physical behavior or expanding the number of known “actors” on physical behavior. General relativity required that, in order to explain this acceleration in the rate of expansion of the universe, much of the energy in the universe must be dark energy.
While the exact nature of dark energy is not known, scientist have determined that, in its current state, the universe is composed of the following proportions: 72% dark energy, 23% dark matter, 4.6% regular matter and 1% neutrinos¹. Dark energy, according to some current thinking, is expanding its percentage of the entire universe. This expansion is itself due to the decrease in energy density of matter as the universe continues to expand. However, dark energy density remains constant during the universe’s continued expansion. Therefore, as expansion continues more and more of the universe will consist of dark energy and less and less will consist of matter.
The Future
Whither the big bang? This is a question that occupies much of the scientific community’s, the physicists at least, time and attention. There are a great number of scenarios that have been offered. However, they can all be boiled down to two categories, perpetual motion or the steady state condition known as heat death².
Steady at the end
If the universe is headed to a steady state condition in which all matter and energy are dissipated into a steady state condition of heat death, then life and creation itself shall cease to exist. While it is entirely possible that the “laws” of physics that govern behavior are meaningless on the margins of existence, it still leaves unresolved where the heat energy so dissipated goes. Whether or not life and existence is a continuous heat exchange, as is assumed by Iunctian Theory, it is never the less true that in order for heat to dissipate it must be exchanged for the cold of absolute zero which is, mathematically speaking, impossible. Assuming the existence of any heat, what-so-ever, there is no mathematical way heat can be dissipated to absolute zero. Absolute zero can only be achieved within a confined space and only because all heat is dissipated to somewhere else. In a situation, such as all creation, where there is no “somewhere else,” there is no place to ultimately and fully dissipate heat, any amount of heat. Unless the physics of heat exchange function differently on the boundaries of existence it does not seem possible that a steady state can be achieved by the universe at any stage of its existence.
Perpetual motion
An alternative to the notion of an eventual demise of the universe through slow loss of heat due to never ending expansion is the tidal theory of universal behavior. The big bang, if it occurred, is a horizon beyond which we can not observe. It is, for our current mastery of observational techniques, the beginning of both time and space, the beginning of the universe itself. However, there are new theories that posit the universe is the result of several expansions and contractions and not a single, never ending expansion. Even heat death proponents make room in their postulations that the universe may well have experienced several iterations of expansion and contractions. The theory is, each successive expansion lasts longer and is greater than its predecessor.
Whether these successive tidal flows of universal expansion and contraction are headed for heat death or a never ending cycle of ebb and flow, it is generally agreed that the end of the expansion and the existence of the universe prior to the advent of the big bang, are beyond measurable and observable horizons. So, we do not know and cannot know, given the limitations of current information and techniques for discovery, with scientific certainty whither we are headed.
Assuming for the moment that, whether we are headed for heat death, a mathematical impossibility, or an endless tidal existence, the universe has experienced a series of big bangs followed by an equal number of big crunches with periods of expansion and contraction sandwiched between them: we must still ask what drives this cycle? The negative pressure, perhaps the stuff of dark energy, of the vacuum can be used to explain the power of the universe to expand in the face of the gravitational force of attraction objects have for one another. However, once an expansion cycle, or contraction cycle, has begun, what acts to reverse the dominant direction?
Just as the ratio of the composition of the universe between energy and matter changes in favor of energy as the universe expands, the ratio of energy to matter favors matter as the universe contracts. At the point of maximum contraction, the instant before the cycle reverses itself and expansion begins, the combination of the intense heat from the pressure of contraction forces enough counter pressure on the matter in the universe so that a modicum of expansion begins internally in the matter. Combined with the negative pressure, a powerful attractive force in itself, this heat induced expansion tips the scales in favor of expansion and, once tipped, is not stopped until reversed when the expansion reverses itself.
Why does the expansion reverse? Just as the negative pressure of the vacuum combines with the internal expansion of matter from the intense heart generated by the pressure of maximum contraction, the negative pressure of the vacuum, at some point, ceases to be a predominately outward pull, due to the wide dispersal of matter, and combines with the gravitational forces of attraction matter has for other matter. As with the contraction to expansion pivot (big bang), the expansion to contraction pivot (big crunch) occurs at a point when the relative strength of the forces governing the behavior of the universe; i.e., the combination of internal negative pressure from the vacuum(s) existing between objects of matter and the gravitational attraction such objects have for one another, the expanding universe is tipped in favor of contraction and momentum pivots away from expansion.
This never ending cycle presupposes an impossibility, a perpetual motion system. However, perpetual motion is impossible due to friction, gravity and other outside physical forces working against an operation. In the case of all creation, there is no outside influence to mitigate against the operation of the cycle. Therefore, on a theoretical basis, there is no reason such an endless system cannot exist.
The theory of perpetual tides is theoretically “true” only if the universe, the multiverse, whatever it is called, constitutes all creation. It is, therefore, a closed system. It is the totality, from which nothing, not even heat, can escape and over which no force outside the system can exert any influence.
The Theory of Perpetual Tides
Creation is in a constant state of expansion or contraction. As such there is no beginning or end. At full contraction the combination of intense heat generated from the pressure of contraction causes internal expansion in compressed matter. This internal expansion combines with the far greater force of the negative pressure of the vacuum to reverse contraction and begin expansion. Likewise, as matter becomes less and less a component of creation and energy becomes more and more predominate, the spaces between matter forms countervailing vacuum pressure that works against the vacuum pressure pulling the universe apart. This countervailing vacuum pressure combines with the gravitational attraction of matter for itself and expansion is reversed in favor of contraction. The points of maximum contraction and maximum expansion are called pivots. These pivots are the points in time at which the forces acting on creation reverse themselves.
