(1) the physical-chemical substructure,
(2) the biotic substructure,
(3) the sensitive or psychical substructure and
finally
(4) the act structure.
The first three idionomies are the same as that of
animals, however due to their character as substructures that support and
anticipate the human act structure they are remarkably much more developed in several respects
than the structure of any animal. Let us examine these
in turn.
The first substructure of the human body is the
physical idionomy qualified by the energetic aspect. It consists of the whole
(inanimate) molecular structure of a human being. In and of itself this
structure is not yet a human body, it is that only as it is bound to and lead
by the higher structures. At death and with the process of decomposition of the
body it is released from this encaptic relation to follow only the laws proper
to it as a physical structure. To see the way the earlier substructures are
intimately tied to the later ones we could consider the role of iodine within
the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. While this gland has an idionomy
that is biotically qualified, iodine has a physical-chemical qualification in
respect of its own inner structure. The role of iodine is crucial for normal
biotic growth, which in turn is foundational for emotional health. So when the thyroid gland is hyperactive, it
causes excessive energy use, which can generate a faster heartbeat accompanied
by a general unease and a heightened nervous sensitivity. Or in the case of hypothyroidism,
often caused from iodine deficiency, in addition to the lethargy and slowing of
the heart, one also discovers mental depression. This
interweaving of iodine and the thyroid gland shows how the integrated
functioning of the entire human being operates, without sacrificing the unique
character of each substructure, and while resisting any reduction to the lowest
idionomic level. So while maintaining its physical character iodine, in this
example, nevertheless serves to support and enable the later idionomies and so
has a special character that goes beyond what is found in animals.
The second idionomy is qualified by the biotic modal
aspect. Here we include the role of living cells, tissues, organs and other
biotically qualified structures. It also includes the so-called autonomic
nervous system that influences the function of internal organs and all that
governs the vegetative body processes such as breathing, heartbeat, and
perspiration, in so far as they fall outside of the guidance of the psychic or
later functions. We might also think here of the organs of the body, like the
sense organs, the brain and nervous system. However it is important not to
classify these organs as belonging exclusively to the biotic idionomy. This is
because they all necessarily play their role in all four of the idionomies.
The third idionomy is the sensitive-emotional
functions which, as instinctive, are for the most part outside our conscious
control. They include the functions of the central nervous system and more
particularly those of the senses, brain, spinal cord and glandular system as well
as the muscle tissues. These allow us to perceive the world around us and
experience emotions as they are taken up into the final idionomy they are no
longer merely received, but also interpreted and named, reflected upon and
shaped for human purposes. These three idionomies function as substructures
since they can only be fully understood in their structural interlacement with,
and disclosure by the final and highest structure, the act structure. It is
only as bound to this structure that the preceding idionomies can be understood
as typical structures of the human body. Here a crucial different is to be
noticed in that the act structure is not qualified or led by a modal aspect and
as such is undifferentiated. This leads us to the final and most characteristic
level of our analysis, the human act structure.
The
act structure is sometimes understood to comprise all the modal aspects higher
than the psychical and so constitutes the arena where the subject functions of
these modal aspects are realised. This would seem obvious from the preceding
analysis of the three substructures and is also supported by the common
division (made by Dooyeweerd) between normative and non-normative modal aspects
marked at the dividing line of the logical aspect. Against this we can point to
exercise, diet and desires as realities that require human realisation as
positive, normal, norming features of human life. In addition it must be
recognised that it is not only analytic intelligence that is crucial to setting
and embodying normative responses, but also one’s aptitude, temperament,
memory, and the reserve of one’s character and convictions. A second point is
that the act life of the human person comes forth out of the heart as that
which expresses itself in the functions and lives exclusively in them. At this
point we also recognise the important sense in which humans are free in both
thought and action. For although humans
exist and function within the limits set by the laws of every aspect, the human
self is not entirely the product of them or of any causal forces in creation.
The human body is different to other entities we have investigated because
unlike them because it lacks a qualifying or leading modal function. Instead it
is the act structure that forms the highest qualifying structure and this is
marked by its undifferentiated form. Dooyeweerd calls the act structure the
“plastic expression of the human spirit” (Dooyeweerd 1942: Thesis XIX).
‘Plastic’ in the sense of having the greatest degree of flexibility to express
itself in all possible differentiated structures. Here we arrive at the ‘open’
character of the human person which can only be understood from the perspective
that as humans we know what it is to be called to bear responsibility, because
we know the difference between good and evil.
This
should lead us on to the central issue of religion, however we pause to
consider the long tradition of thinking of the human person as body and soul.
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