Plasticity inverts the Greek form-creation into the becoming-accidental of essence

Evidence

The Greek concept of ‘form-creation’ (Formtätigkeit) assumes that selfdetermination is to be thought in terms of the becoming essential of the accident which finds sensuous representation in the ‘exemplary individual’. On the other hand, the modern concept of plasticity seems to join itself with a concept of self-determination conceived as the becoming accidental of essence, the very development in which the fundamental significance of the Incarnation is expressed. Kenosis is the movement through which God, by positing Himself in exteriority and becoming alien to Himself, achieves the fulfilment of His being and becomes at once predicate and accident. — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 859

Categorization

• DEFINE: Core definitional contrast: Greek Formtätigkeit = becoming-essential-of-accident; modern plasticity = becoming-accidental-of-essence, expressed via kenosis.
• XREF: This is the pivotal definitional pivot of the entire book’s thesis — connects directly to the reader’s goal of grounding plasticity in Hegel and linking to brain plasticity work. — connects to: Greek culture’s wholeness is only graspable through the ideal of sculpture; Divine negativity manifests plasticity, not lack or passivity — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel: Plasticity,…, 759; Plasticity names the dialectical union of form-seizure and form-annihilation. — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel: Plasticity,…, 247 (+4 more)
• DEEPTHINKING: The inversion of accident/essence via kenosis is the book’s central speculative move, dense enough to sit with for days.

Broader Connections

• Plasticity’s mechanism is the substance-subject seesaw between essence and accident #expands (0.85) — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 1256
• Plasticity names the dialectical union of form-seizure and form-annihilation. #expands (0.80) — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 247
• Plasticity means formative change through rupture, not smooth continuous adaptation #complicates (0.72) — Catherine Malabou, What Should We Do with Our Brain?, 258