Structure
and sense
Traditionally
the 'form' (idea, plan, grammar, etc.) was thought as a power of its
kind imposing its order on the 'matter'. From now emerges the
disturbing question: why wouldn't life be reduced to just a highly
complexed 'structure'? Give me chance and necessity, the structure
will make the rest!
The
concept of 'structure',
becoming a cardinal concept in the modern knowledge, delivers any
thing to articulation,
dis-articulation
and the re-articulation.
In the certainty that every thing depends on a vast combinatorics and
can be constructed and de-constructed, theoretically and
pragmatically, intelligibly and effectively, in the strict
transparent exteriority of space and time.
The concept of 'structure' becomes a key-concept of modern
intelligibility. Released from anthropomorphic projections, forsaking
the metaphysical plan, it operates the passage from ontology to
logic, from being to the understandable relation. A calculable
logical ratio, translatable into a mathematical function.
Through
something like a 'psychoanalysis' of 'matter' remains only a
resistant 'structure'.
Every
thing else seems to evaporate!
Here,
for instance, is water. I can describe this 'matter': water is an
odourless and a colourless liquid, etc. I can simply use it for
drinking, washing, etc. I can evoke its symbolic richness as
fertilizing and regenerating water. I can try to explain it while
going back to increasingly small parts, droplets of water, water
particles, etc. By doing this I do not leave the tautological
assertion that water is water, simply affected by qualities which
evoke its richness for me.
Here
is H-O-H. It is the same water, but so to speak in its nudity. A
simple formula. Through it water becomes understandable. Not any more
'essence' but pure structure.
Simple logical ratio which translates the molecular structure of
water and which delivers at the same time its law of construction. H
and O are not first hydrogen and oxygen meaning substantial
'components'. They are at first symbols like other symbols of
mathematical type. No doubt these symbols are not pure abstractions
and refer indeed to 'something' which exists in nature where hydrogen
and oxygen can be met concretely like two bodies. But this
'something' transcends the 'thing' to seek itself, beyond itself, in
new formulas, in new structures.
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