One regularly comes across considerations about duality in postings in groups. Typically one encounters the notion of Self vs. non-Self (or "I" vs. "other"). Now, I have been pondering about this a little and came to certain conclusions. First of all, the notion of a Self implies that there is something like a Self. This latter implies, however, a certain identity, a certain pattern of propensities, character, etc.
According to Bennett, a Self is built from (at least) three energies. This is something I want to have a look at later. The notion of three forces in balance is encountered in theosophical writings too, e.g. from De Purucker. The latter holds that for an impulse to arise (e.g. lightquanta) there must be a disturbance of the balance of forces. This is rather reminiscent of the Christian notion of the Trinity and also of Eastern Trinities that are said to send out a ray (or two rays) in order to manifest. Very deep idea, but outside the scope of this current note.
My point is that duality presupposes some division of some medium, Element, etc. This division actually requires some boundary in order to make the division. That means that there are three terms to consider, not two. So, duality presupposes, or implies, a trinity.
The third factor is a relating term. In cells, it is the plasmamembrane. For the human organism, it is the skin on the physical level. On the psychological level, it is the aura, which surrounds the human being and has "pores" that allow energy exchange with the environment.
In real life the situation is far more complex than a three term system, of course. But even when we consider a simple system of two more or less equivalent elements the question of the boundaries makes that we have to consider two times two terms plus the general medium from which the elements spring. Together that makes a fivefold of factors. Even that is not enough, because I have left out the pattern or identity of the element besides the substance and concrete form (and it's organization). Also, I assumed here that the medium from which the elements derive their substance is a passive, undifferentiated one. In reality, it is capable of transmitting impulses/signals to elements, which requires an internal structure in order to do so. So, higher terms are necessary to model real-life systems. See Dramatic Universe, Volume 1, chapter on "progression of the categories", for an overview of term-systems. Volume three gives some examples from the human world.
To summarize: duality implies trinity, or better stated: the notion of duality cannot be seperated from that of trinity. These are all simplifications as real-life systems consist of a multitude of elements, functions and relations.
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