Following our articulation of relational cosmology, we now examine multi-scale relational fields and the propagation of potentialities from the quantum to the galactic. This post explores how semiotic principles can be mapped onto cosmic processes, revealing a universe structured less by objects than by dynamic, interdependent horizons of relational potential.
1. Multi-Scale Relational Fields
The universe can be understood as a hierarchy of interacting relational fields, each with its own horizon of potential:
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Quantum scale: fields of probabilistic potentialities; relational alignments manifest as particle interactions and wavefunction actualisations.
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Planetary and stellar scale: gravitational, electromagnetic, and chemical fields generate stable structures (planets, stars) while remaining dynamic.
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Galactic and cosmic scale: large-scale structures emerge from collective interactions, producing patterns of clustering, motion, and cosmic web alignments.
Each scale is a horizon of potential, actualised through relational events, and capable of influencing other scales through cross-scale propagation.
2. Semiotic Principles Across Cosmic Scales
Semiotic dynamics—so far observed in human, ecological, and technological systems—can illuminate cosmic processes:
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Relational potential: just as symbolic horizons contain multiple construal possibilities, cosmic fields contain multiple actualisation possibilities.
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Construal analogues: local events in a field “select” a potential configuration, stabilising structures without implying teleology.
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Recursive influence: interactions at micro-scales propagate upward, shaping macro-scale patterns; macro-scale configurations constrain local potentialities.
For example:
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Quantum fluctuations influence star formation, which in turn determines planetary systems, which ultimately constrain the conditions for life.
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Cosmic structures can be seen as persistent relational alignments, analogous to stabilised symbolic patterns in cultural semiotics.
3. Cross-Scale Coupling and Alignment
Horizons of relational potential are not isolated:
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Vertical coupling: micro-scale events (particle interactions) propagate constraints and affordances to meso- and macro-scales.
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Horizontal coupling: distributed structures at a given scale interact, producing coherent patterns (e.g., galactic filaments, cosmic webs).
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Relational resonance: alignment occurs when potentialities at different scales harmonise, producing emergent stability across horizons.
These mechanisms mirror semiotic scalability and cross-domain alignment in human and ecological systems, reinforcing the universality of relational principles.
4. Implications for Relational Cosmology
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Continuity of principles: The same relational dynamics governing semiotic evolution also operate across cosmic scales.
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Softness and generativity: Cosmic horizons are “soft infinities,” open to multiple actualisations, yet stabilised by relational alignment.
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Meaningful actualisation: While not conscious, cosmic processes instantiate patterns of potential, fulfilling the same functional role as semiotic construals in symbolic ecologies.
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Framework for cosmic semiotics: Understanding horizons allows us to map semiotic principles onto physical reality, bridging relational ontology and cosmology.
5. Takeaway
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The universe is a multi-scale network of relational fields, from quantum fluctuations to galactic webs.
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Semiotic principles—relational potential, horizon actualisation, recursive alignment—can be analogously applied to cosmic processes.
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Horizons at different scales interact, align, and stabilise, producing emergent cosmic patterns.
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This prepares the ground for Post 6 — Cosmic Construals and Emergent Order, where we examine high-order pattern formation and cosmic “interpretation” through relational dynamics.
The cosmos is a dynamic semiotic-like ecology, with relational horizons cascading across scales, actualising potentialities in a continuous becoming-meaningful.
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