Quad general theses, general antitheses, universal relations, general syntheses in development —Expansion of Hegelian triad thesis, antithesis, synthesis FU Yuhua （E-mail:[email protected]） Abstract: According to the viewpoint of materialistic dialectics, this paper presents the Quad general theses, general antitheses, universal relations, general syntheses in development that is the expansion of Hegelian triad thesis, antithesis, synthesis. The general syntheses are called “synthesized second generation theses”, all or partial of them may become the beginning of the next quad-stage. Key words: Hegel, triad-stage, expansion, quad-stage

The German philosopher Hegel (born in 1770) thought that all developments always have to experience the triad-stage (three-stage) of thesis, antithesis and synthesis, namely: the beginning of development (thesis), the appearance of opposite (antithesis), and the unification of opposites (synthesis). In other words, the antithesis negates the thesis, the synthesis negates the antithesis, and the synthesis is the negation of the negation. Hegel took the triad thesis, antithesis, synthesis as the tool to demonstrate his objective idealism, but actually guessed the dialectics that the thing’s development from the preliminary to the high-level. Similarly to Kong Zi (Confucius), Lao Tzu and the like in China, Hegel's some classical dissertations had the tremendous influence on the development of philosophy, moreover these dissertations were unceasingly expanded, developed and got rid of the stale and brought forth the fresh by the later generations. This paper attempts to present the expansion of Hegelian triad thesis, antithesis, synthesis according to the viewpoint of materialistic dialectics.

1 The reason for the presentation of the “quad-stage (four-stage)” According to the viewpoint of materialistic dialectics, “the universal relations (universal connections)” and “the eternal development” are the two total essential features for the existence of the world. However, Hegel's triad-stage only discussed the simple process of development, and did not come down to “the universal relations”; therefore firstly we must add the content of “the universal relations”. Secondly, along with the unceasing progress of the human society and the rapid development of the science and technology, various problems faced by the people are getting more and more complex, this kind of situation is unable to imagine in the time of Hegel. Therefore, Hegelian triad thesis, antithesis, synthesis should be newly understood and developed. For this reason, we propose to expand and perfect the simple Hegelian triad-stage. Based on the above reason, this paper presents the Quad general theses, general antitheses, universal relations, general syntheses in development that is the expansion of Hegelian triad thesis, antithesis, synthesis.

2 The basic content of the “quad-stage” The first stage, for the beginning of development (thesis), the thesis should be contacted, explored, analyzed, perfected and so on widely, deeply, carefully and

1 repeatedly; this is the stage of general theses. It should be noted that, here the thesis will be evolved into two or three, even more theses step by step. The second stage, for the appearance of opposite (antithesis), the antithesis should be also contacted, explored, analyzed, perfected and so on widely, deeply, carefully and repeatedly; this is the stage of general antitheses. It should be also noted that, here the antithesis will be evolved into two or three, even more antitheses step by step. The third stage is the seedtime inherited from the past and carried on for the future, its purpose is to establish the universal relations in the widest scope. This widest scope contains all the regions related and non-related to the “thesis” and “antithesis”, and the like. This stage's foundation works are to contact, grasp, discover, dig, and even create the opportunities, pieces of information, and so on as many as possible. The degree of the universal relations may be different, theoretically its upper limit is to connect all the existences, pieces of information and so on related to matters, spirits and so on in the universe; for the cases such as to create science fiction, even may connect all the existences, pieces of information and so on in the virtual world. Obviously, this stage provides all possibilities to fully use the complete achievements of nature and society, as well as all the humanity's wisdoms in the past, present and future. Therefore this is the stage of “universal relations”. The fourth stage, to carry on the unification and synthesis regarding various opposites and the suitable pieces of information, factors, and so on; and reach one or more results which are the best or agreed with some conditions; this is the stage of “general syntheses”. The results of this stage are called “synthesized second generation theses”, all or partial of them may become the beginning of the next quad-stage.

3 The details and examples of the quad-stage Firstly, we take a simple example to explain the reason and method to expand the triad-stage into the quad-stage. A hen (thesis) lays an egg (antithesis). The hen hatches this egg more than ten days, then a chicken (synthesis) will pip. Although this chicken is also a chicken, but it is different from that hen, also different from that egg. Regarding such a simple example, many questions may be researched carefully. The first question is that, what kind of hen can lay egg. The hens may be divided into three kinds, the immature hen, the mature hen, and the old age hen. In the ordinary circumstances, the immature hen cannot lay egg, the mature hen can lay egg frequently, and the old age hen can only lay egg occasionally, or cannot lay egg at all. If considering the mature hens further, they may be divided into the sick hen, the malnutrition hen, the health and nutrition-sufficient hen and so on. Obviously, only the mature, health and nutrition-sufficient hen has the most possibility to lay egg. After analyzing this question, we may see the reason to expand the stage of “thesis” in Hegelian triad-stage into the stage of “general theses”. The second question is that, what egg can hatch the chicken. In general, only at the suitable temperature, the fertilized fresh egg has the most possibility to do so. After analyzing this question, we may see the reason to expand the stage of “antithesis” in Hegelian triad-stage into the stage of “general antitheses”.

2 The third question is that, according to the present conditions, what chickens may be hatched, and what eggs may be laid. The ordinary people will not consider these questions, but the geneticist or the merchant will consider these questions carefully and take the suitable action in order to obtain the best results. Obviously, for obtaining the best results, many conditions must be satisfied in advance. In the first instance, we should collect the related information of the hen (thesis) as many as possible. For example, the hen’s variety, home-place, shape, weight, state of health, nutritional status, and so on. In the second instance, we should collect the related information of the egg (antithesis) as many as possible. For example, the egg’s variety, shape, weight, gloss, color, whether or not to be fertilized, and so on. Other information include: the present feed’s variety, price, and so on, the newest achievements obtained by the biologists about the hen, egg and others (not limited to the aspect of genetics), sometimes even must consider present world total economic situation and so on. It should be noted that, for the above mentioned information, some are related to the hen (thesis) and egg (antithesis), some are not. Next we must understand and control the universal relations between each kind of information and factor. For example, the relationships between the hen’s variety, home-place, shape, weight, state of health, nutritional status, and the egg’s variety, shape, weight, gloss, color, whether or not to be fertilized. In addition, the influence of feed variety and so on upon the hen and egg; the influence of hybrid upon the hen and egg; whether or not today’s other new achievements of biologists can be used to study the heredity question of the hen and egg; the influence of today’s world total economic situations upon the feed price and so on; similar cases are numerous. After processing these relations earnestly, we may find that under what condition and through what way, then what kinds of hen and egg can be obtained. Here the third question involves all the aspects about the universal relations. The fourth question is that, according to the real present conditions, what kinds of chicken may be hatched and what kinds of egg may be laid. For this question, the answers are different. The geneticist possibly summarizes the following most interesting result: in what kinds of situation we may obtain the superior, medium and inferior chicken and egg respectively. But the merchant possibly summarizes another most interesting result: in what kinds of situation we may obtain the high-price, medium-price and low-price chicken and egg respectively. Moreover, the geneticist and the merchant possibly summarize the following result they are all interested: in what kinds of situation we may obtain the different kinds of chicken and egg that are suitable for high temperature, medium temperature and low temperature respectively. Here, the various chickens are all the synthesized second generation chickens, and the various eggs are all the synthesized second generation eggs. All or part of them may become the beginning of the next quad-stage. In the original Hegelian triad-stage, the synthesis only involves the chicken; but in the quad-stage, the syntheses not only involve the chicken, but also involve the egg. This is another reason to expand the “synthesis” into the “general syntheses”.

3 As an example, we analyze the quad-stage of the famous "Xinyou (Year) Palace Coup" in the later Qing Dynasty of China. Although people have many different opinions about Empress Dowager Cixi, but an undeniable fact was that in 1861 (Xinyou Year), with the help of the Grand Prince Yixin and others, only 27 year-old Cixi seized the highest authority of China thoroughly with the detailed and complete preparation. In this process, the quad-stage may be listed as follows: Firstly, the stage of “general theses” was that the Emperor Xianfeng arranged his 6 year-old son Zaichun in his last words to succeed to the throne. Secondly, the stage of “general antitheses” was that the Eight Regent Ministers headed by Sushun carried on the challenge to the supreme imperial authority. Thirdly, the stage of “universal relations” was that the two Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci’an settled many excellent plans through Yixin and others to eliminate the Eight Regent Ministers. Fourthly, the stage of “general syntheses” was that the Eight Regent Ministers were beaten down and Zaichun ascended the throne, but the two Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci’an became the rulers to "listen to politics behind the curtains". Here, the reasons for Cixi and others were success and the Eight Regent Ministers were defeated, could be found in the quad-stage. In the stage of “general theses”, various contradictions were anfractuosities. On the one hand, in Rehe the Emperor Xianfeng arranged his 6 year-old son Zaichun to succeed to the throne, on the other hand he arranged the Eight Regent Ministers to assist all government affairs, but he also regulated in particular that all the decrees must be imprinted by the two Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci’an in order to become effective. Meanwhile the Emperor Xianfeng even excluded the Grand Prince Yixin from the political center and power center. But after the Emperor Xianfeng died, for Cixi, Ci’an, Yixin, Sushun and others, the different people had the different understanding and the different implementation plan to maintain the imperial authority. As for Cixi, before entering the palace, she was a versatile and beautiful young girl; after entering the palace, the only son of the Emperor Xianfeng was born by Cixi; through assisted emperor to handle the government affairs she gained in the rich experience and became the rival of Sushun. In the stage of “general antitheses”, at first the Eight Regent Ministers carried on the challenge flagrantly to the supreme imperial authority, they proposed that all the emperor's decrees should be drawn up completely by them, the two Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci’an only had the duty to seal and hadn’t the right to change the decrees and read all the ministers’ memorial to the throne. Subsequently, the Eight Regent Ministers launched the attacks many times, and both sides once crossed swords intensely. Cixi’s attitudes were hard and soft alternately, sometimes even let the opposite party win temporarily. In the stage of “universal relations”, in order to take advantage of the power and good nature of the Emperor Xianfeng's principal wife, the Empress Dowager Ci'an, Cixi suggested that they become co-reigning Empress Dowagers, with powers exceeding the Eight Regent Ministers. Secretly, Empress Dowager Cixi began running the thorough plans and collecting the support of talented ministers, soldiers, and others who were ostracized by the Eight Regent Ministers for personal or political reasons. Among them

4 was the Grand Prince Yixin in particular who had great ambitions. Afterward the Grand Prince Yixin controlled the military authority and most of ministers in Beijing gradually. It should be noted that, although the universal relations do not have the upper limit, but it is not the more the better absolutely, it needs just right to carry on the choice and the arrangement. For example, during the "Xinyou Palace Coup", the ratio of the main forces of both sides is eight to two or eight to three, obviously for two people or three people, it is easier to establish the stable relation and form the composition of forces than that of eight people. Moreover, the perfect plans of Cixi and others were the masterpieces of the universal relations. Although various stratagems were ever changing, but there still exist the stratagem inside the stratagem and outside the stratagem, moreover the stratagems were linked together, and they were gotten excellently done without any letup like the passing clouds and flowing water form a coherent whole. It may be noted in passing that, if the Eight Regent Ministers can see clearly the net of Heaven established by Cixi et al. by means of the universal relations, then it was not difficult to find the countermeasure. Namely the Eight Regent Ministers had many opportunities to break this kind of universal relations. For example, as soon as the Emperor Xianfeng died, in Rehe they can definitely house arrest or kill Cixi and Yixin in the name of “maintain the imperial authority” and so on; they may also seize the 6 year-old emperor in their hands firmly in order to “hijack the emperor to control the feudal lords”. If the Eight Regent Ministers adopted any measure above mentioned, the history will be rewritten. In the stage of “general syntheses”, after the two Empress Dowagers arrive at Beijing, they immediately interviewed the Grand Prince Yixin and other ministers behind closed doors. Then they rapidly arrested the Eight Regent Ministers. Afterward, Sushun was beheaded, Zaiyuan and Duanhua were given white silks to allow them to commit suicide, and other five Regent Ministers were removed from post. As for the Grand Prince Yixin, although was put in many important positions, his power was restricted firmly. In a word, Cixi took a series of measures to win the real power and the will of the people, realized the two Empress Dowagers’ ruling from "behind the curtains" smoothly, and built the solid foundation for her to control the country as long as 48 years. Moreover, Zaichun’s imperial throne was also more consolidated, namely the thesis (the Emperor Xianfeng arranged his 6 year-old son Zaichun to succeed to the throne) was affirmed again by the unexpected way. According to the Emperor Xianfeng’s original meaning, there was only one ruler Zaichun, however after the two Empress Dowagers’ ruling from "behind the curtains", other two rulers Cixi and Ci’an were added. Now we give another example to describe the processes of quad-stage. Supposing that the company A plans to undermine the foundation of the company B and invite its deputy general manager Mr. C to work for the company A. After finding out from indirect sources, the company A knows that this plan is not suitable to tell Mr. C directly. Therefore they decide to realize this plan with the help of “crossing the sea under camouflage”, the first one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. At present, the stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage” is taken as the “thesis”.

5 Then it is the first stage (the stage of “general theses”) beginning. Firstly we analyze the stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage”. Because the objects are different, the stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage” may be divided into three: the great stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage” (the objects are emperor, president, and the like), the medium stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage” (the objects are minister, director general, and the like), and the small stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage” (the objects are the rank of lower position and the common people). According to the actual situation, for Mr. C they decide to implement the medium stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage”. Then for reference the collect some examples to implement the medium stratagem. After analyzing these examples earnestly and considering that Mr. C is unmarried, they decide to add the stratagem of “using seductive women to corrupt the opponent” as the auxiliary. Hence, the “thesis” is expanded into the stratagems of “crossing the sea under camouflage” plus “using beautiful women to corrupt the opponent”. In the second stage (the stage of “general antitheses”), considering the opposites of the “general theses”. The number of the opposites of “crossing the sea under camouflage” is greater than one: such as “crossing the sea openly”, “crossing the mountain under camouflage”, and the like. The number of the opposites of “using beautiful women to corrupt the opponent” is also greater than one: such as “using ugly women to corrupt the opponent”, “using wisdom women to corrupt the opponent”, and the like. After analyzing, the “general antitheses” should be decided as the stratagems of “crossing the sea openly” plus “using wisdom women to corrupt the opponent”. Of course, it also may be expanded further. In the third stage (the stage of “universal relations”), firstly considering the universal relations in the “general theses”, that means that the stratagems of “crossing the sea under camouflage”, “using beautiful women to corrupt the opponent”, and the like may be used jointly or respectively; secondly considering the universal relations in the “general antitheses”, that means that the stratagems of “crossing the sea openly”, “using wisdom women to corrupt the opponent”, and the like may be used jointly or respectively; thirdly considering the universal relations between the “general theses” and the “general antitheses”, then we decide to use the stratagems of “crossing the sea under camouflage” plus “using beautiful women to corrupt the opponent” plus “crossing the sea openly” plus “using wisdom women to corrupt the opponent”. So far, all the stratagems are in the scope of Thirty-Six Stratagems. Now we will jump out the scope of Thirty-Six Stratagems to consider the universal relations. After filtrating, the “Trojan horse” is selected, and transforming it into the “half Trojan horse”: Send a beautiful woman and a wisdom woman work inside company B, and send another beautiful woman and another wisdom woman do business outside company B. The remaining question is how to get such two beautiful women and two wisdom women. Here we may use the stratagems of “crossing the sea under camouflage” plus “crossing the sea openly”: Send Mr. D, he is unmarried and his features like Mr. C, go to the marital referral center to register for partner, then, choosing two beautiful women and two wisdom women who are interested in Mr. D. For the purpose to avoid the future trouble, tell them the truth and persuade (instead of force) them to help the company B to achieve the predetermined target. If they agree, then all the

6 arrangements are great success. In the fourth stage (the stage of “general syntheses”), the initial “thesis” (stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage”) become the synthesized second generation stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage”, namely stratagems of “crossing the sea under camouflage” plus “using beautiful women to corrupt the opponent” plus “crossing the sea openly” plus “using wisdom women to corrupt the opponent” plus “half Trojan horse”. The concrete implementation process is as follows: In the case that Mr. C is unwitting, send a beautiful woman and a wisdom woman work inside the company B, and another beautiful woman and another wisdom woman appear repeatedly in the situation that Mr. C attends, these four women start the offensive to Mr. C, if Mr. C has only one woman in mind, then let this woman persuade Mr. C change his employer and work for the company A, at the same time give him the excellent pay and conditions. Using such synthesized second generation stratagem of “crossing the sea under camouflage”, the company A will have a great opportunity for success. The last question is that, we have said that the stage of “universal relations” provides all possibilities to fully use the complete achievements of nature and society, as well as all the humanity's wisdoms in the past, present and future. How to explain these viewpoints? In fact, as we establish the relations between “thesis” and “antithesis”, it involves what viewpoint will be adopted. If we adopt the viewpoint of “One divides into two”, besides “thesis” and “antithesis”, there will not be other content, upon that only the relations between “thesis” and “antithesis” can be established. If we adopt the viewpoint of “One divides into three”, it comes down to what kind of “One divides into three” will be adopted. Here we list three kinds of that: (1) In Chinese ancient times of several thousand years ago, the Philosophers of the Miao national minority created their own “One divides into three” (according to that, besides “thesis” and “antithesis”, there exists “neither thesis nor antithesis”). (2) The golden mean of Confucius (according to that, besides “thesis” and “antithesis”, there exists the “topic that neither lean to thesis nor lean to antithesis”). (3) The Neutrosophy of Prof. Smarandache (according to that, besides “thesis” and “antithesis”, there exists the “intermediate or compound topic”). Taking the “One divides into three” of the Miao national minority as an example, we will establish the relations of “thesis”, “antithesis” and “neither thesis nor antithesis”. In fact, here there exist four kinds of relations: the relations between “thesis” and “antithesis”; the relations between “thesis” and “neither thesis nor antithesis”; the relations between “antithesis” and “neither thesis nor antithesis”; and the relations between the three of “thesis”, “antithesis” and “neither thesis nor antithesis”. So do the “One divides into three” of Confucius and the “One divides into three” of Prof. Smarandache. In addition, we can also adopt the viewpoint of “One divides into four”, for example the “untitled” content can be added, and discuss the relations of “thesis”, “antithesis”, “neither thesis nor antithesis” and “untitled”. Certainly we may also supplement the contents of “results”, for example, to discuss the relations of “thesis”, “antithesis”, “neither thesis nor antithesis”, “untitled”, “best result”, “worst result”, “medium result” and so on. It should be noted that, for the “universal relations”, we should not set up the fixed range and the fixed pattern. In fact, many inventions and creations are precisely from the

7 fantasticism and establish the relations between the things they have nothing to do with the astonishing result. As for the reason that not only we should use all the past and present achievements of the nature and society, but also we should use the future ones, the answers are that the humanity's predictive abilities are increased greatly, therefore many future matters already can be forecasted. So that, if we can establish the relations between the present matter and the future matter in advance, then the biggest harvest will be obtained, or the worst damage will be avoided.

4 Conclusions According to the viewpoint of materialistic dialectics, this paper presents the preliminary frame for the quad general theses, general antitheses, universal relations, general syntheses in development. Moreover, the details of the quad-stage are explained with some examples. Considering that the quad-stage should be developed and consummated further, therefore we hope that this paper can play the role to offer a few ordinary introductory remarks so that others may offer their valuable ideas.

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