Hierarchical formulations died because their wedding cake levels
Hierarchical formulations died because their wedding cake levels posited a multiply fractured cosmos that does not match the Space Age revelation of a unified universe in which the earth is clearly in, rather than separated from, the heavens. Hierarchical representations do not reflect what either the world or we are like.
In the words of Eugene Kennedy, we hear the fall of an old vision and the rise of a new truth. He speaks of hierarchical formulations, once imagined like the tiers of a wedding cake, with layers of heaven stacked apart from earth, and earth itself cast low, beneath the divine. These models of a fractured cosmos ruled thought for centuries, separating humanity from the heavens above. But with the dawning of the Space Age, the illusion was shattered, and the universe was revealed as unified—a vast whole where earth is not below but within the heavens. Thus, the maps of old could no longer serve as mirrors of reality.
The ancients themselves crafted such hierarchical representations. In medieval theology, the cosmos was pictured as a ladder of being: angels above, men below, and earth a fallen place estranged from the stars. It was thought that one must ascend through levels of perfection, step by step, to reach the divine. Kennedy’s words show us how such visions—once mighty—died when new knowledge revealed their fracture. For the heavens are not stacked above, but surround us; we walk already in the infinite, not beneath it.
His reflection teaches us that truth must evolve with revelation. To cling to the wedding cake cosmos after the stars themselves have been unveiled is to live in shadow, denying what is plain to see. Just as sailors once feared sailing beyond the horizon for fear of falling, but later learned the roundness of the earth, so too must humanity lay aside old diagrams of separation and embrace a vision of unity. For the cosmos does not divide us from heaven—it enfolds us within it.
History gives us its mirror in the life of Copernicus and Galileo, who dared to speak the truth that the earth circles the sun. They defied the hierarchical model that placed mankind at the center and heaven apart. Their discoveries revealed not humanity’s smallness, but its true belonging in a vast and interconnected universe. Theirs was the first whisper of what Kennedy proclaims: that the world and we ourselves are not fractured levels, but participants in a single, boundless creation.
Therefore, let it be remembered: old maps crumble when truth reveals itself, and it is folly to cling to broken ladders. The hierarchical cosmos was an attempt to explain, but the Space Age unveiled a greater revelation—that the universe is whole, and we are not estranged from the heavens but embraced by them. Kennedy’s words carry a lesson for all generations: that we must shed illusions that divide, and embrace the reality that unites. For in truth, to know we are already in the heavens is to awaken to the grandeur of existence itself.
NLNguyen Linh
The idea that hierarchical structures are no longer applicable because of our understanding of a unified universe is a fascinating critique. It makes me think about how many of the divisions in society—whether in the workplace, in politics, or in culture—are built on outdated notions of separation. As we move towards more interconnected ways of thinking, can we truly eliminate hierarchical structures, or do they serve some deeper, unconscious need for order?
ADPhuong Anh Doan
Kennedy’s assertion that hierarchical models are obsolete in the face of a unified universe is a bold one. It speaks to a deeper shift in how we think about the world—away from separation and division, towards unity and interconnectedness. This shift in perspective could have profound implications on how we approach everything, from global politics to our personal relationships. But, I wonder, can humanity truly embrace a new worldview where hierarchies no longer dominate our thinking?
NANguyen Nhat Anh
Eugene Kennedy’s quote challenges a fundamental way of thinking about both the universe and our place in it. The hierarchical models we once used to understand social order or the cosmos seem increasingly out of sync with the idea of a unified, interconnected existence. It makes me wonder: Are we still clinging to outdated organizational structures in our societies that no longer serve us? How do we shift towards a more holistic, interconnected understanding of the world?
QDQuang Dung
This quote really resonates with the way modern thought challenges outdated structures. The idea that hierarchical formulations no longer reflect the reality of a unified universe is intriguing. It makes me think about how much of our societal, political, and personal systems are still rooted in these old models. If the universe is interconnected, shouldn’t our societal structures reflect that unity instead of division? What changes would need to happen for this shift?
QAdo thi quynh anh
Eugene Kennedy’s idea about hierarchical structures no longer fitting with the understanding of the universe is both thought-provoking and profound. His comparison of old hierarchical models to the unified universe reveals how much our perception of the world has evolved. It raises the question—are we still trapped in outdated systems of thought that don’t reflect the interconnected nature of reality? Maybe it’s time to reconsider how we view relationships, both cosmic and human.