What is Trialectics? 

Have you ever wondered why the Christian God is trinitarian? Through a centuries-long process of reflection, early Christian theologians found that the dogma of one God, consisting of three "Persons," is the only way to explain how God interacts with the world through Jesus Christ, a real human being who is also the incarnation of God. 

The idea of a trinitarian structure of reality, or "Trialectics," can be separated from it's Christian origin and become a philosophical theory in its own right. How does this work, and what is it's explanatory power? 

The world is a complex interplay of forces that defy simplistic, binary explanations. If "one" represents unity, "two" stands for the dyad, or duality, then the structure inherent in the number "three" will stand for "multiplicity:" We are opening the dyad to include the world. "Trialectics" is the name for this procedure, and it offers a more nuanced and dynamic way of understanding reality. This framework, inspired in part by the spatial theories of thinkers like Henry Lefebvre and Edward Soja, moves beyond the limitations of dualistic thinking by recognizing the crucial role of a dynamic "third term" in shaping the relationship between any two elements. This "third" is not a mere compromise or midpoint, but an "other," a transformative force that introduces a new dimension and reshapes the entire dynamic.

The roots of this trialectical approach can be traced back through the history of thought. Hegel's dialectics, with its thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, foreshadowed the idea of a third term emerging from the tension between two opposing forces. However, while Hegel's synthesis often implied a resolution, a finality, Trialectics emphasizes the ongoing, dynamic nature of the third, recognizing it as a continuous process of becoming rather than a fixed endpoint. It is more about the process than about a final outcome, which means that there is no necessary linearity in it. From the trialectical point of view, Hegel was a two-dimensional thinker, which led him to see historical progress as a story of overcoming, an idealistic fallacy. 

Even before Hegel, Plato employed a method of "dialectic" in his dialogues, which involved at least three parties: two debaters, and one asking the questions to arrive at a synthesis.

Trialectical Thinking in Action

As discussed above, the concept of a mediating third also finds resonance in theological discourse. The Christian Trinity, with its doctrine of God as one being existing in three co-equal persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – presents a compelling example of a trialectical relationship. The three persons are distinct yet unified, their relationship characterized by a dynamic interplay, a continuous flow of love and communion. This theological concept, while distinct from a philosophical framework, highlights the enduring human fascination with the power of threeness.

Where does the fascination with the power of three come from? Freud offers an interesting take: The concept of a mediating third finds expression in the Freudian notion of the Oedipal triangle. The child's development, according to Freud, is fundamentally shaped by the dynamic interplay between the child, the mother, and the father. The father, as the "third," introduces the Law, disrupting the initial dyadic relationship between mother and child and propelling the child into the realm of language and social order. This triangular structure, with its inherent tensions and power dynamics, provides a compelling example of Trialectics at play in the formation of individual identity.

Jacques Lacan took the idea of a triadic structure even further, and elevated it to a new form of ontology. His "Borromean knots" offer a powerful visual and conceptual structure for Trialectics. These three interlinked rings – representing the Real, the Symbolic, and the Imaginary – are configured in such a way that the removal of any one ring causes the entire structure to fall apart. This intricate interdependence mirrors the trialectical principle that the relationship between any two elements is fundamentally shaped by the presence of a third. The Borromean knot, therefore, can be seen as an ontological model, a representation of the fundamental structure of being as constituted by the interconnectedness of three irreducible elements (Language, Imagination, and the Real). Knots generate spaces, and when the three elements come together,  meaning is generated.

Lacan also argued the language largely operates through metaphors and metonymies. The idea was popularized in the 1980s by George Lakoff ("Metaphors we live by") We understand abstract concepts by mapping them onto more concrete and familiar concepts, often based on our bodily experiences.  We structure our understanding of one thing in terms of another (examples: Life is a journey. You are wasting my time. Let's digest that.) In this sense, metaphor is pervasive in everyday language and thought. This implies that meaning is not just about words but about conceptual structures, and that our understanding of the world is largely structured by metaphor. These conceptual metaphors are often based on our embodied experiences. But for metaphors to work, you have to relate two terms through a third, sometimes hidden term: The "tertium comparationis." This concept is borrowed from linguistics and illuminates the significance of the third. In any comparison, there's the two elements being compared, and then the ground or basis for the comparison – the "tertium." This ground is not reducible to either of the elements being compared; it's a separate conceptual space that allows for the comparison to take place. Trialectics extends this idea, arguing that this "third" is not just a conceptual tool but an ontological reality, a fundamental aspect of how the world is structured.

Trialectics extends also into the domain of Law and its application. The very notion of justice relies on a trialectical structure in order to become practical. A fair trial requires not just the accuser and the accused but also the impartial judge, the "third" who mediates between the two parties, ensuring that the law is applied justly. The judge is not simply a passive observer but an active participant, shaping the course of justice through their interpretation and application of the law. This highlights the crucial role of the third in maintaining social order and resolving conflicts.

Various contemporary theories are picking up trialectical thinking: 

In Network Theory, the idea of interconnectedness as a fundamental aspect of reality is central. For instance, in Bruno Latour's Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the traditional distinction between human and non-human actors gets challenged. He argues that agency is distributed across networks of interconnected entities. While not explicitly trialectical, ANT's emphasis on relationality and the dynamic interplay of actors within a network resonates with the core principles of Trialectics. One could argue that within an actor-network, the "network" itself, the web of relationships, acts as the dynamic third that shapes the actions and identities of individual actors. ANT does not only concern itself with human, but also with non-human "actants."

In the realm of computer science, the rise of RDF (Resource Description Framework) triples represents a move towards a more trialectical approach to data representation. These triples, consisting of a subject, predicate, and object, acknowledge the crucial role of the predicate – the "third" – in defining the relationship between subject and object. This allows for the creation of complex, interconnected knowledge graphs that go beyond the limitations of traditional relational databases.

We find parallels even in Physics: The seemingly unsolvable three-body problem can be viewed as a manifestation of Trialectics. The introduction of a third celestial body into a gravitational system creates a chaotic and unpredictable dynamic, highlighting the limitations of reducing a system to its constituent parts and demonstrating the emergent complexity that arises from the interaction of three elements.

Conclusion 

Trialectics offers a powerful framework for understanding the complex and interconnected nature of reality. By recognizing the dynamic "third" that mediates and transforms the relationship between any two elements, we can move beyond the limitations of binary thinking and embrace a more three-dimensional and holistic perspective. From the Trinity to the Borromean knots, from the Oedipal triangle to the three-body problem, from Hegel to Latour and beyond, the concept of a mediating, transformative "Third" has a rich and varied history, weaving its way through theology, psychoanalysis, philosophy, and science. As we face the complex challenges of the 21st century, the ability to think trialectically will become increasingly crucial. It will enable us to better understand the world, create more just and equitable social structures, and open new possibilities for innovation and positive change. Trialectics is not just a theory; it's a way of seeing, a way of engaging with the world that recognizes the interconnectedness of all things and the transformative power of the dynamic third. As a method, it also prompts us to remember that we are ourselves always a part of the picture we see, not just outside observers or bystanders.