
“ | Is the god the source, or is the god a human manner of conceiving of the force and energy that supports the world? In our tradition God is a male. This male and female differentiation is made, however, within the field of time and space, the field of duality. If God is beyond duality, you cannot say that God is a "He." You cannot say God is a "She." You cannot say God is an "It." | „ |
~ Joseph Campbell, Thou Art That: Transforming Religious Metaphor |
Summary
Nonduality and Transduality are different states of being wherein an entity exists independently of (nondual), or qualitatively beyond (transdual), various dual systems. These can range from very specific, limited sets of dual distinctions to the concept of duality itself, and beyond. If the 0 and 1 of binary systems can be considered a duality, a transdual character’s fundamental existence might be definable as being in-between the numbers of 0 and 1, or as 0 and 1 simultaneously, whereas a nondual character might be considered a "2" or outside of the system altogether.
Notable Users
- The Source (DC)
- The In-Betweener (Marvel)
- Yog-Sothoth (Cthulhu Mythos)
- Shiki Ryougi/The Swirl of the Root (Nasuverse)
Types
- Type 1 (Specific Transduality): Being qualitatively beyond the nature of one or several specific dual systems, such as Life and Death, Existence and Nonexistence, or Light and Dark. This type most commonly applies to concepts or traits that are binary oppositions of each other, but this is not a strict necessity, and sometimes a verse may decide to define a duality using concepts that aren't mutually exclusive of each other. A basic example of transduality at this level would be a character that is regarded as existent and nonexistent simultaneously, with the caveat being that this description applies to their whole being, rather than simply suggesting that certain aspects of themselves "exist" while others don't.
- Type 2 (General Transduality): A state of being which is qualitatively beyond the nature of duality on a conceptual level, virtually standing beyond the scope of all dual systems. Such characters are typically portrayed as contradictions within the context of their setting, and are assumed to abide by dialetheic systems, participating in each dual state and the "negation" of said dual state simultaneously. Characters with this type typically have many abilities and resistances by-proxy, typically including Intangibility, Abstract Existence, Invisibility, Acausality, Nonexistent Physiology, and Resistance to Conceptual Manipulation (which usually includes many other resistances along with it), although portrayals vary.
- Type 3 (Plurality): A state of being which is qualitatively beyond and superior to the nature of even the distinction between duality and transduality. A basic example of Plurality is characters whose fundamental nature operates in a manner analogous to many-valued or certain kinds of non-classical logic, where many different values can exist that are not true or false, 0/1/2, or any dichotomies in between or beyond. However, simply being able to use many-valued logic in a feat context does not qualify a character for this type, such characters must demonstrate true qualitative superiority to all types of dual distinctions.
Types
- Type 1 (Specific Nonduality): Existing externally and independently from the nature of one or several specific dual systems, such as Life and Death, Existence and Nonexistence, or Light and Dark. Like with Transduality, this type of Nonduality is most commonly applied to concepts or traits that are binary oppositions of each other, but this again is not a strict necessity, and sometimes a verse may decide to define a duality using concepts that aren't mutually exclusive of each other.
- Type 2 (General Nonduality): Existing externally and independently from duality in-general. Characters of this type are commonly depicted as existing in a state of singular wholeness bereft of separation, and are often-times considered to be or depicted as primordial voids or an entity whose being cannot be considered a sum of anything other than itself.
Notes
- In the case of Nonduality Type 2, the previously mentioned traits of being considered "a singular wholeness bereft of separation" should not be taken as nonduality on its own, nor should statements suggesting that a character is simply "indivisible", as such statements could apply to things that aren't nondual to begin with, such as a point or some other primitive notion. Another way of looking at it would be that a character should be considered indivisible as a consequence of their nonduality, rather than a character being considered nondual as a consequence of their indivisibility.