Our languages tend to be oriented towards things. Think of a language where relationship is primary. What are the most
simple kinds of relationships that are possible?
Can you create a grammar for a computer language that is relationship oriented? Explain its syntax and semantics.
review Martin Buber’s work and provide an insightful description of his ideas and the direction of his thought.
Give this some careful thought by considering the I-Thou and I-it relationships as part of a spectrum. Describe this spectrum in more detail and name various points in this spectrum that can be recognized in relationship.
Extend your thoughts about the spectrum and make it wider. For example, the end of the spectrum on one side is not I-Thou but a total merger of I-Thou. Similarly, extend the other end of the spectrum. Describe this extended spectrum in more detail.
Give some more careful thought to I-it side of the spectrum. Consider the end point on this side to be that the “it” does not have a right to exist and should not exist. Relate this extended spectrum to human psychologies of genocide, eternal punishment, as in “hell”. What other aspects of human behaviors point to this extended spectrum.
Now change the context of this spectrum. Consider Wolfram’s generational evolution rules and the generation of multiway graphs based on these rules. Describe a set of rules that transform relationships into a spectrum of possible relationship as we have been considering.
Let us rethink this notion of a spectrum and start with a seed model instead. So, an “I” is the starting seed. It diverges and creates a Thou as a mother creates a child. Then, there is an increasing distance between “I” and “other”. The end of that process is the spectrum you just described. Flesh out this process.
Let us consider yet another way to look at this structure. Consider the Laws of Form by Spencer-Brown. A distinction is made – drawing the form out of the form. This distinction can have a multiplicity of relationships with “other” distinctions. Does it also have types of relationships that are not covered in our earlier frameworks? If so, what are these other types?
Wonderful, can you think of other frameworks that would provide more perspectives on this issue?
Software and Other Techie Stuff 