Process Philosophy's Antecedents: A Family Tree of Dynamic Process Ontologies, Part 1

Process Philosophy's Antecedents

A Family Tree of Dynamic Process Ontologies

Part 1

by R.E. Slater & ChatGPT

Philosophical ontologies study the nature of being and existence and is a subdiscipline of metaphysics. Broadly, formal ontologies investigate abstract features while applied ontologies utilize ontological theories and principles to study entities within specific domains.

To begin, a process ontology is a way of modeling and representing knowledge about processes, focusing on their dynamic nature and relationships rather than as static entities. It's used in religion, philosophy and computer science, with applications ranging from understanding fundamental reality to describing complex business operations.

In religion, process ontology emphasizes that God is not a static, unchanging entity but is intimately involved in the dynamic and ever-changing processes of the universe.

In philosophy, process ontology challenges traditional views that emphasize enduring substances, arguing instead that reality is fundamentally composed of processes, events, and relationships. This perspective, also known as process philosophy or process metaphysics, is associated with thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead. Some philosophers argue that process ontology offers a more accurate representation of the world's flux and becoming.

In computer science and knowledge representation, a process ontology provides a structured way to model-and-reason-about the components and relationships within an observed process. This is useful for tasks like (i) Modeling workflows: Describing the steps, inputs, outputs, and dependencies of a process. (ii) Developing knowledge-based systems: Creating systems that can understand and reason about processes. (iii) Enabling process analysis and optimization: Identifying bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and areas for improvement in a process.

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the history of thought, certain currents have continually resurfaced — currents that reject static conceptions of reality in favor of dynamic, relational, and evolving understandings of existence. Process Philosophy, particularly as formalized by Alfred North Whitehead, is often perceived as a modern or even postmodern development. Yet, when viewed through a broader historical and cross-cultural lens, it becomes evident that processual insights have long been seeded in the philosophical and theological traditions of East and West alike.

This survey traces a family tree of dynamic ontologies — spanning ancient Greek thought, Buddhist impermanence, Islamic metaphysical insights, dialectical European philosophy, and the revelations of modern quantum science. Each thread contributes a distinctive voice to the chorus affirming that reality is a living, unfolding process.

In this spirit, Metamodern Process Philosophy emerges not as a break with tradition but as a converging stream of ancient wisdom, critical modernity, and contemporary scientific discovery. This synthesis offers a fertile ground for reimagining metaphysics, ethics, and the nature of existence in an interconnected and ever-becoming world.

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1. Heraclitus (c. 500 BCE) — “All is Flux”

• The Greek philosopher Heraclitus declared that change is the fundamental nature of reality. His famous aphorism, “You cannot step into the same river twice,” highlighted a worldview where all things are in perpetual motion.

• Process Resonance: Heraclitus affirmed becoming over static being, introducing an early Western articulation of dynamic ontology.

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2. Buddhist Doctrine of Impermanence (Anicca) (c. 300 BCE)

• Buddhism, originating in India, teaches that all phenomena are impermanent (Anicca), subject to arising and passing away, emphasizing the interdependent nature of all existence.

• Process Resonance: Reality is transient, interdependent, and relational — a natural alignment with process metaphysics’ rejection of fixed essences.

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3. Islamic Philosophy — Al-Farabi, Avicenna (c. 1000 CE)

• Islamic philosophers synthesized Aristotelian and Neoplatonic philosophy, emphasizing dynamic creation, contingency, and continual existential dependence on the Divine.

• Process Resonance: Though not overtly processual, Islamic philosophy nurtured metaphysical frameworks that valued dynamic creation and relational existence.

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4. Mulla Sadra (c. 1600 CE) — Substantial Motion (al-ḥaraka al-jawhariyya)

• Mulla Sadra’s revolutionary doctrine argued that substance itself is in constant ontological motion, not merely its accidents or qualities. This notion placed change and becoming at the heart of existence.

• Process Resonance: A striking philosophical precursor to process thought — proposing a world of ontological flux upheld by God’s ongoing creative act.

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5. G.W.F. Hegel (c. 1800 CE) — Dialectical Becoming

• Hegel’s dialectics proposed that reality unfolds through the triadic process of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, embedding development and transformation into the core of history and metaphysics.

• Process Resonance: Reality as a self-developing, dynamic process — an essential prelude to relational and evolutionary metaphysical systems.

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6. Alfred North Whitehead (c. 1920 CE) — Process Philosophy

• Whitehead constructed a systematic metaphysics where reality consists of “actual occasions” — discrete events of becoming interconnected in webs of relation.

• Process Resonance: Whitehead’s philosophy integrated ontology, cosmology, and ethics under the principle of creativity and relational becoming, offering a comprehensive processual worldview.

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7. Quantum Ontology — Field Theory & Emergence (21st Century)

• Quantum physics reveals a universe of fields, probabilities, and emergent properties rather than static substances. Concepts like wavefunction collapse and quantum entanglement reflect a world defined by dynamic interrelations.

• Process Resonance: Scientific models affirm a reality in constant flux, resonating deeply with philosophical visions of process and emergence.

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CONCLUSION

A Converging Stream of Becoming

Process Philosophy emerges not from a vacuum but from a global and historical tapestry of insights — where ancient wisdom traditions, classical metaphysical systems, and contemporary scientific understandings coalesce. Each tradition contributes a vital thread:

• Heraclitus — Change is the only constant.

• Buddhism — All is impermanent and interconnected.

• Islamic Philosophy — Dynamic creation and contingent existence.

• Mulla Sadra — Substance itself is a motion of becoming.

• Hegel — History and reality unfold through dialectical processes.

• Whitehead — Reality is constituted by creative relational events.

• Quantum Ontology — The universe dances in fields of dynamic potential.

Together, each aspect of process thought affirm a deep, metamodern truth: "The universe is not a static structure but a living, unfolding, evolving process.

Metamodern Process Philosophy stands at the crossroads of ancient metaphysics, postmodern critique, and scientific discovery — offering a dynamic, integrated vision of reality. It invites us to see existence as a vibrant, relational tapestry, forever in the act of becoming.

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Final Reflection

In recognizing the diverse roots of process philosophy, we are reminded that the human quest to understand reality has always been marked by a reverence for movement, change, and connection. Far from being an isolated philosophical curiosity, process thought represents a universal intuition echoed across cultures, religions, and sciences. Its metamodern expression today serves as both a bridge and a horizon — bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary inquiry, and opening a horizon of hope for a world in search of deeper relational meaning. 

Process philosophy, in this light, is less an endpoint and more a continual invitation: to embrace the flux of life with creativity, courage, and a profound sense of belonging to the unfolding cosmos.