Having traced semiotic evolution and cultural morphogenesis, we now extend relational semiosis to the cosmic scale. This post explores a relational cosmology, where the universe is not a collection of static entities but a field of potentialities, and cosmic-scale actualisation operates analogously to construal in semiotic systems.
1. The Universe as Relational Field
Traditional cosmology often treats the universe as a set of objects or entities. In contrast:
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A relational cosmology sees the universe as a network of relational potentials.
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Entities are actualised relational events, emerging from continuous interaction rather than pre-existing independently.
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Space, time, matter, and energy are fields of potentiality, continually modulated through relational alignment.
The universe is not a static stage; it is an active, evolving relational ecology.
2. Potentialities Rather Than Static Entities
In this framework:
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Cosmic structures are expressions of latent possibilities realised through interaction.
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Galaxies, planetary systems, and life itself are temporal actualisations of potential relational configurations.
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Stability and coherence emerge from dynamic alignments, not from intrinsic, immutable properties.
Analogous to semiotic events:
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Just as a construal actualises symbolic potential in a horizon, cosmic events actualise relational potential in the universal field.
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Actualisation is perspectival and contextual, shaped by multi-scale relational constraints.
3. Cosmic-Scale Actualisation as Construal
We can draw a direct analogy between semiotic construal and cosmic events:
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Semiotic construal: a perspectival cut that stabilises relational potential in symbolic ecologies.
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Cosmic actualisation: a relational cut that stabilises potentialities into temporally localised structures.
Key characteristics:
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Emergence: order arises from interaction, not pre-determined design.
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Multi-scale recursion: micro-level events influence macro-structure, just as cultural construals scale to mythic horizons.
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Softness and openness: relational fields remain generative, permitting ongoing evolution and emergence.
This analogy reveals the universe itself as a semiotic-like ecology, where relational potential is continually realised and reconfigured across scales.
4. Implications for Relational Cosmology
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Non-anthropocentric semiosis: Meaningful actualisation is not restricted to humans; cosmic processes themselves instantiate potential.
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Continuity of relational principles: Semiotic, cultural, and cosmic horizons are variations on the same relational dynamics.
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Cosmic semiotic horizons: Just as stories and myths stabilise symbolic potential, cosmic structures stabilise relational potential over space-time.
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Becoming-meaningful: The universe evolves not merely as existence, but as a field of relational actualisation, continuously generating new possibilities.
5. Takeaway
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The universe is a relational field of potential, not a static collection of objects.
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Cosmic-scale actualisation is analogous to construal, actualising potentialities in relational space-time.
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Relational principles governing semiotic evolution extend seamlessly to cosmic semiotic ecology.
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Understanding the cosmos in these terms sets the stage for Post 5 — Horizons of the Universe, where we examine multi-scale propagation of relational and semiotic potentials from micro- to macro-cosmic levels.
The cosmos is becoming-meaningful, a dynamic ecology where relational potential is continually realised, echoed, and extended across scales.
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