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A New Critique of Theoretical Thought, Vol. II

Courtesy of the Hultink Family Foundation, the Cántaro Institute is now the new home for the Reformational Digital Library (formerly known as the Reformational Publishing Project). All rights reserved.

Document: Herman Dooyeweerd, A New Critique of Theoretical Thought, Vol. II: The General Theory of the Modal Spheres, (Jordan Station, ON.: Paideia Press, 1984).

Excerpt: In the Prolegomena we discovered the cosmic order of time, which, as the limit to our ‘earthly’ temporal cosmos, determines the structure of reality in its diversity of meaning, both as regards its modal and typical laws and its subjectivity, including its subject-object-relations. The specific modal sovereignty of the different aspects of reality (with their various modal law-­spheres) appeared to be founded in this cosmic order and at the same time made relative by it. Founded: for the specific modal sovereignty proved to be only possible in the temporal splitting up of the religious fullness of meaning, which in its turn is only given in the transcendent root of our cosmos. Made relative: for the modal law-sphere as a specific aspect of the meaning of temporal reality, proved to have no independent existence in itself, but rather to be interwoven with the temporal coherence of meaning. Cosmic time over-arches the different aspects as order, and streams through their boundaries as duration.

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A New Critique of Theoretical Thought, Vol II – H. Dooyeweerd.pdf