Isolated elements unify through a shared relation to external phenomena

Evidence

It is sociologically very significant that isolated elements are unified by their common relation to a phenomenon which lies outside of them. This applies as much to the alliance between states for the purpose of defense against a common enemy as to the “invisible church” which unifies all faithful in their equal relation to the one God. — Georg Simmel, The Sociology of Georg Simmel, 4202

Categorization

• XREF: The external unifying third element parallels Porfiry as the external institutional auditor who brings Raskolnikov into a social configuration. — connects to: Background elements are unified implicitly by their relation to a focal goal; Many phenomena are symbolically unified but lack causal coherence