Dr. J. Glenn Friesen

Studies relating to
Herman Dooyeweerd

Linked Glossary of Terms

Linked Glossary
List of Notes

De Wijsbegeerte der Wetsidee Volume I
Prism of Cosmic Time
Law and Subject

De Wijsbegeerte der Wetsidee Volume II
The Gegenstand
Dis-stasis/ Synthesis
Intuition and Time
Conceptual Limits
Horizon and Levels
God, Self and Cosmos

©J. Glenn Friesen 2003-2006

Linked Glossary of Terms


I, 7, 15, 19(of functions), 20, 22-24, 27-30, 34-37, 39-40, 42-45, 48-52, 57, 61, 64, 66, 68, 70-75, 79, 81, 121-22, 124, 128-30, 132, 134

II, 400-405, 408, 413, 414, 422, 424, 482-83, 491, 497

NC I, 3 (inter-modal cosmic coherence),4 (our ego expresses itself as a totality in the coherence), 4 (coherence of meaning that refers to a totality; man is fitted into the coherence of meaning), 5 (the functions in which the ego expresses itself within the coherence of our temporal world; totality is more than a coherence of functions), 29 (time's cosmic side is disclosed in coherence of meaning into which it fits the modal aspects; its temporal character is disclosed in the opening process)

NC II, 40 (the inter-modal relation of the aspects cannot be causal), 560 (integrated into a perspective coherence)

Dooyeweerd's last article: The mutual irreducibility and unbreakable reciprocal meaning-coherence of the modal aspects are “not to be separated from the transcendental idea of the root-unity of the modal aspects in the religious center of human existence.” (Gegenstandsrelatie, 100)

coherence of diversity I, 11, 19
indissoluble interrelation I, 5
temporal coherence I, 5, 6, 10

The Idea of the temporal coherence is one of three transcendental Ideas within each Ground-Motive. The other two Ideas are totality and Origin: the temporal coherence must relate to a supratemporal totality, and this totality must relate to an Origin. The coherence of temporal reality is given by the cosmic law order, which Dooyeweerd also refers to as the order of cosmic time (I, 70, 130).

Cosmic time refracts the supratemporal totality of meaning into the temporal diversity or particularity of meaning. This is the "vertical" order of sphere sovereignty of the aspects. But cosmic time also relativizes this particularity of the particular law-spheres by maintaining a coherence of meaning. the coherence is the "horizontal" order that spans across the aspects. The coherence is of the refraction of meaning. The coherence of the refraction of meaning is compared to white light that is refracted by a prism into separate colours, but which colours also stay in a definite order in relation to each other (I, 70-71).

The coherence of meaning is the succession order of the aspects within time, and the relations between the aspects in their analogies.

It is the temporal bottom layer that maintains this coherence. The coherence is more than the sum of the individual aspects. But it is also different than their supratemporal coincidence of meaning. In this coherence is also founded the individuality of temporal things, including our own temporal coherence as ego, which is distinguished from our supratemporal selfhood.

Coherence is also a key Idea for Baader. He refers to the necessity of a coherence between the natural and the Spiritual [Geistlich]. Dooyeweerd had this same goal–to relate the whole temporal cosmos, in both its ‘natural’ and ‘spiritual aspects (NC I, v). Baader emphasizes the coherence between Intelligence and Nature (Elementarbegriffe, 550) and between ethics and physics (Begründung, 23, 49). Sometimes Baader uses the word ‘Zusammenhang’ (e.g. Weltalter 68-the coherence of all things in the All). Elsewhere he uses the word ‘Kohärenz’. The true coherence is an ‘embodiment’ which shows itself in the temporal region in ‘the array [Ordnung] of the periphery’ (Zeit 36). This order of the periphery corresponds to Dooyeweerd’s coherence of temporal functions (aspects or modes). Baader also emphasizes the relation of this coherence to our central totality. He includes in coherence the Baader coherence,flowing together of the common, central, divine processes of life with the partial ones of the individual creature. This coherence is subject to a definite Law (Philosophische Schriften I, 147).

Revised Dec 9/08