Beyond just war, just sacrifice and just human?

Fundamental Need for Human Sacrifice by Abrahamic Religions (Part #10)

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The complicity of the Abrahamic religions in "just war" theory and "just torture" theory was highlighted above in relation to any sense of "just sacrifice". The imminent possibility of further "just sacrifice" is currently actively envisaged by the USA -- necessarily under Christian auspices -- with respect to North Korea, following the "Libya model" instigated by a NATO coalition sharing the same inspiration (Why North Korea Is Angered by 'Libya Model' in Nuclear Talks, The New York Times, 16 May 2018; Trump's 'Libya Model' Remark on North Korea Was a Threat and May Sink the June 12 Summit, The Diplomat, 18 May 2018). The main proponents, Mike Pence and John Bolton, are recognized as giving priority to their extreme Christian beliefs.

The justification for this approach is curiously consistent with an earlier threat to bomb Islamic Pakistan "back to the Stone Age" if it failed to collaborate with a superpower locked into a Christian "Stone Age" mentality (Musharraf: U.S. Threatened to Bomb Pakistan to the Stone Age, Fox News, 22 September 2006; Nick Cullather, Bomb them Back to the Stone Age: An Etymology, History News Network, 5 October 2006). The limitations of this perspective have notably been explored by Edward de Bono (I Am Right, You Are Wrong: New Renaissance: From Rock Logic to Water Logic, 1990).

The question is within what "container" is such a sacrifice to be articulated? If sacrifice is to be understood as essential to salvation in theological terms, there is the curious possibility that a confuson has been unforunately cultivated between "human sacrifice" and "sacrifice of humanity". In the quest for "planetary salvation" through appropriate governance of sustainability and the like, what indeed might need to be sacrificed?

Animality? In the case of the individual human, much is made by theology of transcending man's "animal nature". With respect to global governance, the issue is well-framed by the famous comment by John Maynard Keynes regarding the continuing challenge of "animal spirits" (cf. Robert Shiller (Animal Spirits Depend on Trust, Wall Street Journal, 27 January 2009; George A. Akerlof and Robert J. Shiller, Animal Spirits: how human psychology drives the economy, and why it matters for global capitalism, 2008).

More generally, many failures of collective initiative are compassionately excused by reference to "human nature", with people being "just human" -- and necessarily "only human". Presumably this can also be applied to sexual abuse by clergy. Exploiting the play on words, it appears that it is systematic recourse to the excuse of "just human" that needs to be sacrificed through a more radical understanding of "sacrificing humanity" in its more restrictive and unimaginative sense. This might even suggest the curious notion of "humane sacrifice" -- as applied to humans rather than animals.

Unfortunately it could be argued that "humans" have been only too successful in sacrificing "animals" -- as indicated above with regard to the extreme loss of biodiversity. The compassion for the animal in man has not translated into compassion for the animal in nature -- or for those which are slaughtered. How the animal in man can be appropriately "sacrificed" remains a mystery -- obscured by the sacrifice of animals enabled by Abrahamic religions, whether deliberately through ritual or negligently through the destruction of nature. Similarly, appreciative reference to "human nature" obscures the "inhuman nature" of man -- and the inability for humans to dwell appropriately in "nature".

The following animations, whilst clearly caricatures, suggest an alternative to the conventional linear representation of the dynamics of the global economy. Whilst consistent with recognition of economic cycles and business cycles, they suggest a further relation to the psychological dimensions so usefully documented by Shiller and Akerlof (2009) -- and beyond their argument to the many integrative 8-fold articulations of personality types and modes of thought.

Engaging with "Animal Spirits" in the global economy? suggestive of the possible dynamics of a sustainable global economy (reproduced from Swastika as Dynamic Pattern Underlying Psychosocial Power Processes, 2012)
Conventional linear image (adapted from the cover of Animal Spirits, 2009 by Robert J. Shiller and George A. Akerlof )	Cyclic image: ordering the "animal spirits" otherwise? based on Swastika dynamic and the Chinese BaGua

Commemoration: There is a curious engagement with time in the commemoration of the tragedy of those sacrificed in war, however "just". The Christian Eucharist is also specific in evoking time through the ritual phrase "in remembrance of me". In memory of a "just sacrifice"? Arguably what needs to be sacrificed is the "just human" tendency to forget the cycles through which humans are bound to nature and variously embody it. The tragedy of "just war" could then be understood as a failure of collective memory, much as the Abrahamic religions avoid remembrance of the "just sacrifice" which they have variously enabled in the recent and distant past. As remarked by George Santayana: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

In that sense what needs to be sacrificed is the cultivation of short-termism, namely the avoidance of recognition of precedents and consequences in time (Societal Learning and the Erosion of Collective Memory, 1980). So framed however, this obscures increasing recognition of the mysterious quality of the present moment and its appreciation -- the sense of "quality time". Missing is the reconciliation of long-term and short-term in an appreciation of cyclic time and its embodiment (Engaging Macrohistory through the Present Moment, 2004). Despite vigorous claims to the contrary, it is as the embodiment of forgetfulness of the sacrifices they enable that requires the sacrifice of Abrahamic religion to enable humanity to engage more appropriately with time.

Multidimensionality and Homo undulans? How is "more than human" to be imagined -- beyond the constraints of the binary thinking so carefully cultivated by Abrahamic religions?

The possibility has acquired some recognition through the science fiction novel of Theodore Sturgeon (More Than Human, 1953). The theme has been variously adapted (Ramez Naam, More than Human: embracing the promise of biological enhancement, 2005; Astrid Oberborbeck Andersen and Stine KrØijer, More-than-Human Politics, Cultural Anthropology, 11 October 2017; O. Pyyhtinen, More-than-Human Sociology: a new sociological imagination, 2016; Noah Theriault, Toward a More-Than-Human Anthropocene, Inhabiting the Anthropocene, 8 April 2015). The theme has also been been adapted in relation to sacrifice by Timoth Monreal (More than Human Sacrifice: teaching about the Aztecs in the New Latino South, Middle Grades Review: 3, 2017).

A cognitive adaptation of the theme is evident in the works of various authors, including mathematicians (Ron Atkin, Multidimensional Man: can man live in 3-dimensional space, 1982; Jurgen Ziewe, Multidimensional Man, 2008). Such efforts could be contrasted with the radical analysis of Herbert Marcuse (One-Dimensional Man, 1964).

Following from arguments of other authors, it can be argued that that there is a degree of implicit mirroring to be collectively discovered as the key to genuine sustainability (Gregory Bateson, Mind and Nature: a necessary unity, 1979; Henryk Skolimowski, The Participatory Mind: a new theory of knowledge and of the universe, 1994; Werner J. Sattmann-Frese and Stuart B. Hill. Learning for Sustainable Living: psychology of ecological transformation, 2007). This is discussed separately with respect to Mirror self-recognition and environmental mirroring (2008). Have Abrahamic religions effectivelt "distorted" that mirror?

Concern with cognitive embodiment has featured prominently in exploration of alternative knowledge systems, notably as characteristic of little-appreciated indigenous communities -- superbly documented by Darrell A. Posey (Cultural and Spiritual Values of Biodiversity: a complementary contribution to Global Biodiversity Assessment, 1999). It is perhaps such insights that best emphasize the "grounded" nature of such knowing -- also ably articulated by David Abram (Depth Ecology, 2002; The Spell of the Sensuous: perception and language in a more-than-human world, 1996), notably as discussed by Chris Schlottmann (Embodiment and Embeddedness in Philosophies of Ecology: deep ecology, Confucian ecology, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology, 2002).

More provocatively, if the "just human" nature of Homo sapiens is to be subtly sacrificed in some manner, it can be asked for what that sacrifice might make way. Consistent with emergent appreciation of cycles, an argument is made for Homo undulans by Daniel Dervin (Creativity and Culture: a psychoanalytic study of the creative process in the arts, sciences, and culture, 1990). Named otherwise as Homo conjugens, this would be fecund in ways that Homo sapiens can only project into biological reproduction, embodying a new way of engaging and joining with the world (Authentic Grokking: emergence of Homo conjugens, 2003; Emergence of Homo undulans -- through a "grokking" dynamic? 2013).

Juggling of Abrahamic modalities by divinity? Much has been made of whether divinity "plays dice" (Stephen Hawking, Does God play Dice?; Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? 1989; Vasant Natarajan, What Einstein meant when he said "God does not play dice ... ", Resonance, July 2008). More intirguing in this context is whether governance by divinity could be understood as "juggling" the distinctive Abrahamic modalities in some way -- especially given mathematical insights into juggling patterns (Burkard Polster, The Mathematics of Juggling, 2003). It is in this sense that the arguments of the previous discussion are of relevance (Governance as "juggling" -- Juggling as "governance", 2018)

As a simulation of processes of divine governance, as understood from a human perspective, it is intriguing to explore whether the various 3-ball patterns of juggling offer valuable insights into the manner in which the contrasting perspectives of Abrahamic religions are juggled, and especially how this enables insight into binary framings (2-party, 2-state, good-evil, etc). The simulation of the movements of the left and right hands are a useful trigger to reflection given the importance associated with their symbolic connotations. Also of interest is how each ball has its time of "ascendance", its "fall", and its reframing as "left" or "right". Especially intriguing in the light of the earlier discussion is how juggling obligations is frequently recognized as associated with sacrifice (Juggling Priorities and Sacrifices, NYC Running Mama, 28 December 2015). Understandings of a juggling God have been variously explored (Arthur Chandler, On the Symbolism of Juggling: the moral and aesthetic implications of the mastery of falling objects, The Journal of Popular Culture, Winter 1991).

Selection of animations of 3-ball juggling patterns by one juggler (derived from juggling patterns in Wikipedia)
3-ball cascade	3-ball shower	3-ball columns	3-ball box	3-ball Mills mess	3-ball Burke's barrage
attribution	attribution	attribution	attribution	attribution	attribution

Clearly of even greater potential interest are the many animations of 4 or more balls with two or more juggling partners -- namely the possibilities of keeping more balls "in the air" (whether for the individual or divinity). Various authors frame the challenge of life as one of juggling four or five balls:

• James Patterson, Juggling the Five Balls in the Game of Life: Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends, and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls...are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. (also Brian G. Dyson, 5 balls of life speech by Coca Cola's former CEO)
• Larry Bonine, Juggling Four Balls: job, family/relationships, health, religion/spirituality/purpose

In that light, the "dice-playing-divinity" metaphor is then better recognized as being fundamentally inadequate as a "finite game". Juggling can then be seen as an "infinite game", usefully contrasted by James P. Carse (Finite and Infinite Games: a vision of life as play and possibility, 1988), now echoed by Niki HarrÉ (The Infinite Game: how to live well together, 2018) as a simple variant of The Glass Bead Game of Hermann Hesse. Together the Abrahamic religions exemplify the problem that most have of juggling three balls.

Enabling comprehension of paradox via other means? The Abrahamic religions have long attached great significance to the symbolism through which the mystery of higher-dimensionality is to be comprehended, if only as a matter of faith. Curiously no effort whatsoever seems to have been made to reconcile their contrasting symbols as separately implying the nature of a transcendent deity to which they have for so long subscribed. One exercise to that end is described separately, with the use of newly available virtual reality technology (Reconciling Symbols of Islam, Judaism and Christianity: catalytic methodology for effective interfaith dialogue, 2017).

Another approach is to use geometrical forms which are inherently paradoxical, such as the Mobius strip, the Necker cube or the Klein bottle, as extensively argued by Steven Rosen (Topologies of the Flesh: a multidimensional exploration of the lifeworld, 2006; Dreams, Death, Rebirth: a multimedia topological odyssey into alchemy's hidden dimensions, 2014).

Potentially more provocative is the cognitive engagement with a "radical" perspective -- to the extent that this implies an as yet unrecognized worldview capable of "holding" the radical insights and identifications variously evoked by the Abrahamic religions (Coming Out as a Radical -- or Coming In? 2015; Radical Localization in a Global Systemic Context, 2015; Identifying the Root Cause Focus of Radical Identity, 2015). This raises the question of how a collective belief system can embody the subtlest insights it claims to propound.

There is a complementarity to the above approaches in that they imply a particular understanding of introspection which could frame "sacrifice", "human" and "religion" otherwise -- and far less restrictively. This is argued separately (World Introversion through Paracycling: global potential for living sustainably "outside-inside", 2013). Through rendering such definitive categories permeable, it enables an essential degree of fluidity (Cognitive Osmosis in a Knowledge-based Civilization: interface challenge of inside-outside, insight-outsight, information-outformation, 2017; Living as an Imaginal Bridge between Worlds: global implications of "betwixt and between" and liminality, 2011).

Indicative paradoxical dynamic?
Essential cognitive dynamic? (transformations between geometrical metaphors)	Inside-Outside / Outside-Inside? (suggested by Mobius strip)

Cognitive mystery of the "hole": Valuable insights with respect to the requisite flow of attention are available from the design requirements of nuclear fusion reactors currently under development to recreate the "power of the sun". These call for avoiding any contact between what flows and what contains that flow (Enactivating a Cognitive Fusion Reactor: Imaginal Transformation of Energy Resourcing (ITER-8), 2006; Implication of Toroidal Transformation of the Crown of Thorns: design challenge to enable integrative comprehension of global dynamics, 2011). The flow of plasma within the toroidal container recalls the form of the ouroboros and the possibility of its animation in 3D (Complementary visual patterns: Ouroboros, MÖbius strip, Klein bottle; Circular configuration of cognitive phases framing toroidal experience?).

Whether as a torus, an ouroboros, or a spiritual halo, what is the cognitive significance of the "hole" through which people are born and through which they "pass away" -- individually or collectively -- as suggested by the schematics above and below? There is clearly the implication that it is a multidimensional hole of some dynamic form -- rather than to be oversimplistically understood in static terms. Of particular relevance is the remarkable exploration by Roberto Casati and Achille C. Varzi (Holes and Other Superficialities, 1994) -- with respect to the borderlines of metaphysics, everyday geometry, and the theory of perception (reviewed by Steven A. Gross, What's in a Hole? The Harvard Review of Philosophy, 1994; see entry on holes in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). As discussed separately, they seek to answer two basic questions: Do holes really exist? And if so, what are they? (Cognitive mystery of holes, lacunae and incompleteness; Nature of metaphysical and theological holes; Cognitive and experiential black holes, 2014).

The subtlety of a "hole"can be recognized to some degree through the symbolism associated with a ring (Engaging with Globality through Cognitive Circlets, 2009). This is also evident in the choice of "ring" or "circle" to describe rather particular forms of psychosocial organization, especially those which are difficult to detect and whose relationships can only be inferred. The most obvious example is a criminal "ring".

Given the manner in which a religion may embody an annual cycle of ritual, there is a case for seeing the complex relationship between the three Abrahamic religions as appropriately represented by a set of Borromean rings, namely three topological circles which are linked such as to form a Brunnian link -- so that removing any ring results in two unlinked rings. In mathematical terms, all three are linked, although no two of the three rings are linked with each other as a Hopf link -- no two loops can be directly linked. The image on the right below has been adopted as the logo of the International Mathematical Union. The pattern of linkage shown below are studied in mathematics as a feature of knot theory,

Suggestive alternative depictions of relationships between Abrahamic religions
Early depiction of Christian Trinity	Borromean rings 2D	Brunnian link 12-crossings	Brunnian link 18-crossings	Brunnian link 24-crossings	Borromean rings 3D
Reproduced from Wikimedia Commons

The link patterns depicted recall the much-studied Islamic geometric patterns. Especially provocative with respect to the theme of sacrifice, is how the variously depicted tripartite patterns of relationship between the Abrahamic religions -- knotting them together -- might be "cut", and the consequence of doing so, given their interdependencies. In the light of the current challenge of movement within Jerualem, the various patterns of "crossings" are particularly provocative as suggesting new ways of considering "border crossings" between three distinctive modalities -- potentially an indication for the design of Jerusalem as a city sacred to the three Abrahamic faiths (Jerusalem as a Symbolic Singularity: comprehending the dynamics of hyperreality as a challenge to conventional two-state reality, 2017).

So framed, the question recalls the legend of the Gordian Knot with which Alexander the Great was faced, as discussed separately (Mapping grossness: Gordian knot of governance as a Discordian mandala? 2016; Toward comprehending the paradoxical eradication dilemma of the Abrahamic religions, 2014). The topology of knots has been of great interest to psychiatrists such as R. D Laing and Jacques Lacan. For example, the latter uses the Borromean knot to clarify the complex relation between the Real and the Imaginary, notably with respect to jouissance, as discussed by Luke George Layzelle (Topologies of Abandon: locating life in the philosophy of Georgio Agamben, Univerity of Susse, 2017).

Indicative animations Reproduced from Imagining transcendence appropriately challenging to comprehension (2013)
Animation of Sphere-Torus transformation (Reproduced from Wikimedia Commons)	Animation of Klein bottle (by Konrad Polthier) (Imaging Maths: inside the Klein bottle, +Plus Magazine, September 2003; [click for animated version or explore java applet]

The mystery of the hole is rendered all the greater through the possibility and process of sphere eversion, as indicated below, and separately discussed (Sphere eversion as guide to the cognitive twist of global introversion? 2013)

"Cognitive sacrifice" indicated by sphere eversion?
Phases in one process of a sphere turning inside out Centerfold of Making Waves (1995) of book by Silvio Levy; with video Outside In from the Geometry Center	Animation of sphere eversion by Adam Bednorz and Witold Bednorz (Analytic sphere eversion with minimum of topological events. arXiv, 1711.10466, 2017) (reproduced from Wikipedia)

The dilemma for global governance, primarily informed by the world view of the Abrahamic religions, could be caricatured in terms of "hole avoidance", as described separately (Lipoproblems: Developing a Strategy Omitting a Key Problem -- the systemic challenge of climate change and resource issues, 2009). This avoidance is curiously complemented by forms of human sacrifice which entail deliberately creating holes in people, most notably with bullets -- but with little awareness of the blowback effect to the perpetrator. The mystery of such holes could be caricatured otherwise (Is the World View of a Holy Father Necessarily Full of Holes? Mysterious theological black holes engendering global crises, 2014).

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