Substance’s actuosity is simultaneously creative and destructive power

Evidence

Substantial necessity is experienced as necessity within the chance (Zufall) and contingency (Zufälligkeit) of the accidents. This relationship of substance to non-substance (to the accidents) is the ‘actuosity’ (Aktuosität) of substance. By and as actuosity, substance manifests itself at one and the same time as ‘creative power’ and ‘destructive power’. However, ‘the two are identical; the creation is destructive and the destruction creative; for the negative and the positive, possibility and actuality, are absolutely united in substantial necessity.’ — Catherine Malabou, The Future of Hegel, 1102

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines ‘actuosity’ (Aktuosität) as the identity of creative and destructive power in substantial necessity — a key plasticity term.
• DEEPTHINKING: The identity of creation and destruction in substance is dense and paradigm-shifting: the negative is productive of being, not merely its negation. This deserves sustained reflection.
• XREF: connects to: Destruction appropriates objects more keenly than creation does. — Jean-Paul Sartre, Being and Nothingness: An Essay on…, 1376; Information can produce, bypass, or actively destroy meaning — Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, 266; Destructive plasticity creates new identity precisely through annihilation of the old — Catherine Malabou, The New Wounded: From Neurosis to Brain…, 1495 (+6 more)

Broader Connections

• Plasticity spans both the creation and the explosive annihilation of form. #corroborates (0.95) — Catherine Malabou, What Should We Do with Our Brain?, 231
• Destructive plasticity creates new identity precisely through annihilation of the old #expands (0.90) — Catherine Malabou, The New Wounded, 1495
• Brain plasticity includes a capacity to destroy form, not only create it #expands (0.85)