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The case of the missing third.

Robin Robertson1

  • 1RRobertson@pacbell.net

Nonlinear Dynamics, Psychology, and Life Sciences
|January 5, 2005
PubMed
Summary

This paper explores the historical "Missing Third" concept, a recurring idea bridging extremes in thought. It traces this philosophical problem from ancient Greece to modern chaos theory.

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Area of Science:

  • Philosophy of Science
  • History of Ideas
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • The enduring question of how order emerges from disorder.
  • The recurring philosophical concept of a 'Missing Third' to bridge dualistic extremes.

Observation:

  • The 'Missing Third' problem appears across diverse historical periods and intellectual traditions.
  • Its manifestations vary, reflecting the dominant paradigms of each era.

Findings:

  • The paper traces the evolution of the 'Missing Third' concept from Plato and Parmenides through Neoplatonism.
  • It examines its presence in the works of Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Kant, Fechner, and Wundt.
  • The concept's trajectory continues through 20th-century psychology (behaviorism, Gestalt, Jung), ethology, cybernetics, and culminates in chaos theory.

Implications:

  • Understanding the 'Missing Third' offers insight into the historical development of Western thought.
  • This historical analysis provides a framework for contemporary discussions on emergence and complexity.
  • The concept's persistence highlights fundamental challenges in reconciling dichotomies in science and philosophy.

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