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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

das Göttliche

English translation:

the divine

Added to glossary by Steffen Walter
Jul 16, 2005 16:30
19 yrs ago
German term

das Göttliche

German to English Art/Literary History Renaissance life
Can anyone help me understand what is meant by the bit in asterisks here? It's part of a medieval world view - expressing the perspective that the human brain/intellect is not designed for thinking or making new discoveries....

"Der menschliche Geist ist ausschließlich dazu bestimmt, ***die Einheit der Seele mit dem Göttlichen herzustellen***."
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 to establish the oneness of the spirit with the divine
4 +11 divine
Change log

Jul 18, 2005 07:55: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Other" to "Art/Literary"

Jul 18, 2005 07:56: Steffen Walter changed "Term asked" from "G�ttlichen" to "das G�ttliche"

Discussion

silfilla Jul 17, 2005:
BTW, *period* in my previous sentence was simply meant to indicate that for believers there is no discussion of whether or not there is a link.
NGK Jul 17, 2005:
(As an additional note: I don't know how precise the use of language is in your text; if this is simply an aside in a text about Renaissance life you might not want to read too much into it. The writer is probably not a theologian.)
silfilla Jul 17, 2005:
The intellect *creates* the link by positing that there is one, whereas for believers, the link just exists, period.
NGK Jul 17, 2005:
That is a very profound question. A bit too profound for KudoZ, I'm afraid. :)
Non-ProZ.com Jul 17, 2005:
thanks for pointing that out, Norbert! If it was used in the sense of "creation", though, how DOES the intellect "create" a connection between the human soul and the divine? Either the link exists, or it doesn't, right? I'm not sure I understand the sense of the sentence if we take "herstellen" at face value.
NGK Jul 17, 2005:
On second thought, if you use the verb "establish" you can cover both interpretations ... as in "establish the oneness of the soul with the divine"
NGK Jul 17, 2005:
That would be a highly unusual use of the verb "herstellen." Yes, herstellen can mean "etablish," but in the sense of, say, establishing a connection between two modems; not in the sense of establishing a fact.
Non-ProZ.com Jul 17, 2005:
I think Andrew might be right - thank you for clarifying this for me and everyone else. I think it must be saying that the whole point of the human brain is to establish (find ways to prove) that there is a link between the human spirit and the divine (spirit). Right?

Proposed translations

+1
17 mins
German term (edited): die Einheit der Seele mit dem G�ttlichen herzustellen
Selected

to establish the oneness of the spirit with the divine

The sole purpose of the human mind is to establish (substantiate) the oneness of the spirit (soul) with the divine


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 19 mins (2005-07-16 17:49:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The problem in this sentence lies with the verb ‘herstellen’. Leo gives a whole page of primary meanings including both \'make\' and \'establish\'.
Does the author intend to say that the mind ‘manufactures/creates/ makes’ this ‘oneness/unity’ with the divine or that the mind
‘establishes/substantiates/proves/demonstrates’ that this link exists?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 28 mins (2005-07-16 18:58:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Both this question and the previous one on ‘Fürstentum’ appear to have been ‘solved’ within 2-3 minutes. The fact is that both ‘göttlich = divine’ and ‘Fürstentum = principality’ are easily found in the Langenscheidt Pocket Dictionary. The Asker is most certainly in possession of dictionaries even larger than the LPD and it is apparent from the way the questions have been formulated that they refer to whole contexts rather than single items of vocabulary.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 49 mins (2005-07-17 17:19:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... the whole point of the human brain is to establish (find ways to prove) that there is a link between the human spirit and the divine (spirit.\" This is the way I read it.

...if you use the verb \"establish\" you can cover both interpretations ... as in \"establish the oneness of the soul with the divine\" (NGK). Sounds like a peer agree.

I am not sure what point Silfilla is trying to make (in the Ask the Asker box, of all places) or indeed whether it represents a helpful contribution to this question.
Peer comment(s):
agree Mario Marcolin
4 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you very much everyone! I am going to use "to establish the connection between the human spirit and the divine", or words to that effect. I think we need the ambiguity of "establish" here!"
+11
2 mins
German term (edited): G�ttlichen

divine

to make the soul one with the divine
Peer comment(s):
agree Dr.G.MD (X)
0 min
agree ENGSOL
3 mins
agree Ulrike Kraemer
5 mins
agree Edith Kelly
7 mins
agree Aniello Scognamiglio (X) : das erinnert mich an "La Divina Commedia" (Die Göttliche Komödie), Dantes episches Gedicht, entstanden um 1307 bis 1327.
15 mins
agree Lancashireman : dem Göttlichen = the divine ...(but not convinced about the bit in asterisks)// At least there is a debate now about the wider context. ‘The human spirit and the divine’ is not the same as ‘man and God’: no one has suggested that ‘man and God’ are one.
16 mins
The use of the word "herstellen" — as well as the belief that this is the sole purpose of the human mind — indicates to me that this is about overcoming the separation of man and God, not about positing the oneness of man and God as a fact.
agree Robert Kleemaier : to unite the soul with the divine?
38 mins
agree Christine Lam
1 hr
agree Armorel Young
2 hrs
agree Maureen Millington-Brodie
16 hrs
agree Maria Ferstl
6 days
Something went wrong...
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