Reflections on Connectivity and Architectivity

There is an ontological disjunct inherent in our world and we are reluctant to face it.

*

Physical Spirituality intimates that a connective is merely the sum of its parts while a bond is other than the sum of its parts. (Compare this with the traditional "The whole is more than the sum of its parts.")

This means that in order to comprehend a holism, all its parts must be considered, together with their effects on each other. But when comprehending a bond, its parts, and their relationships with each other, can be ignored.

*

When atoms bond into molecules, or electrons bond with nuclei, the new objects show a mass defect, in that as a whole they have a slightly smaller mass than the sum of their components' masses - mass is lost in binding.

Similarly, for lighter nuclear bonds, in the fusion of hydrogen into helium for example, the helium atom has less mass than the sum of the contributing hydrogen atoms and energy is given off. For heavier elements (> iron) energy is given off when they split rather than fuse. In both cases, the mass of the finished product is not the same as the mass that went in.

This demonstrates that gravity does not act on the quarks and leptons constituting an object, it acts on the object as an architective whole, one whose mass is different to that of its component quarks and leptons.

Similarly, when a charged object accelerates it emits electromagnetic radiation while an uncharged object does not. Yet all objects are ultimately made of quarks and leptons and they are charged. So here is another example of a compound object having properties different to its constituents.

We thus have a Great Architective Divide, a scale above which no architective binding occurs and both gravitational and electromagnetic interactions are the sum of their component interactions and below which they are not.

*

Connectivity accepts (not necessarily harmoniously) all new influences into its fold. Architectivity only accepts influences that match at least one of its properties (as in a resonance for example).

(When the new connective influences are harmonious it generates music rather than turbulence.)

*

It's interesting that by fastening things together, architectivity permits things to be separate and distinct. It's as if the act of fastening opens up a new dimension.

It's also interesting that the new dimension - separation - contradicts the old - fastening.

*

Connectivity offers access to infinity. Architectivity restricts such access.

*

Connective events are always unpredictable to some degree. Architective events can be reproduced exactly.

*

The connective game between yin and yang is called Peek-a-boo. The architective game between them is called Gotcha.