Quotes & Sayings


We, and creation itself, actualize the possibilities of the God who sustains the world, towards becoming in the world in a fuller, more deeper way. - R.E. Slater

There is urgency in coming to see the world as a web of interrelated processes of which we are integral parts, so that all of our choices and actions have [consequential effects upon] the world around us. - Process Metaphysician Alfred North Whitehead

Kurt Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem says (i) all closed systems are unprovable within themselves and, that (ii) all open systems are rightly understood as incomplete. - R.E. Slater

The most true thing about you is what God has said to you in Christ, "You are My Beloved." - Tripp Fuller

The God among us is the God who refuses to be God without us, so great is God's Love. - Tripp Fuller

According to some Christian outlooks we were made for another world. Perhaps, rather, we were made for this world to recreate, reclaim, redeem, and renew unto God's future aspiration by the power of His Spirit. - R.E. Slater

Our eschatological ethos is to love. To stand with those who are oppressed. To stand against those who are oppressing. It is that simple. Love is our only calling and Christian Hope. - R.E. Slater

Secularization theory has been massively falsified. We don't live in an age of secularity. We live in an age of explosive, pervasive religiosity... an age of religious pluralism. - Peter L. Berger

Exploring the edge of life and faith in a post-everything world. - Todd Littleton

I don't need another reason to believe, your love is all around for me to see. – Anon

Thou art our need; and in giving us more of thyself thou givest us all. - Khalil Gibran, Prayer XXIII

Be careful what you pretend to be. You become what you pretend to be. - Kurt Vonnegut

Religious beliefs, far from being primary, are often shaped and adjusted by our social goals. - Jim Forest

We become who we are by what we believe and can justify. - R.E. Slater

People, even more than things, need to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone. – Anon

Certainly, God's love has made fools of us all. - R.E. Slater

An apocalyptic Christian faith doesn't wait for Jesus to come, but for Jesus to become in our midst. - R.E. Slater

Christian belief in God begins with the cross and resurrection of Jesus, not with rational apologetics. - Eberhard Jüngel, Jürgen Moltmann

Our knowledge of God is through the 'I-Thou' encounter, not in finding God at the end of a syllogism or argument. There is a grave danger in any Christian treatment of God as an object. The God of Jesus Christ and Scripture is irreducibly subject and never made as an object, a force, a power, or a principle that can be manipulated. - Emil Brunner

“Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” means "I will be that who I have yet to become." - God (Ex 3.14) or, conversely, “I AM who I AM Becoming.”

Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. - Thomas Merton

The church is God's world-changing social experiment of bringing unlikes and differents to the Eucharist/Communion table to share life with one another as a new kind of family. When this happens, we show to the world what love, justice, peace, reconciliation, and life together is designed by God to be. The church is God's show-and-tell for the world to see how God wants us to live as a blended, global, polypluralistic family united with one will, by one Lord, and baptized by one Spirit. – Anon

The cross that is planted at the heart of the history of the world cannot be uprooted. - Jacques Ellul

The Unity in whose loving presence the universe unfolds is inside each person as a call to welcome the stranger, protect animals and the earth, respect the dignity of each person, think new thoughts, and help bring about ecological civilizations. - John Cobb & Farhan A. Shah

If you board the wrong train it is of no use running along the corridors of the train in the other direction. - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God's justice is restorative rather than punitive; His discipline is merciful rather than punishing; His power is made perfect in weakness; and His grace is sufficient for all. – Anon

Our little [biblical] systems have their day; they have their day and cease to be. They are but broken lights of Thee, and Thou, O God art more than they. - Alfred Lord Tennyson

We can’t control God; God is uncontrollable. God can’t control us; God’s love is uncontrolling! - Thomas Jay Oord

Life in perspective but always in process... as we are relational beings in process to one another, so life events are in process in relation to each event... as God is to Self, is to world, is to us... like Father, like sons and daughters, like events... life in process yet always in perspective. - R.E. Slater

To promote societal transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework which includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace. - The Earth Charter Mission Statement

Christian humanism is the belief that human freedom, individual conscience, and unencumbered rational inquiry are compatible with the practice of Christianity or even intrinsic in its doctrine. It represents a philosophical union of Christian faith and classical humanist principles. - Scott Postma

It is never wise to have a self-appointed religious institution determine a nation's moral code. The opportunities for moral compromise and failure are high; the moral codes and creeds assuredly racist, discriminatory, or subjectively and religiously defined; and the pronouncement of inhumanitarian political objectives quite predictable. - R.E. Slater

God's love must both center and define the Christian faith and all religious or human faiths seeking human and ecological balance in worlds of subtraction, harm, tragedy, and evil. - R.E. Slater

In Whitehead’s process ontology, we can think of the experiential ground of reality as an eternal pulse whereby what is objectively public in one moment becomes subjectively prehended in the next, and whereby the subject that emerges from its feelings then perishes into public expression as an object (or “superject”) aiming for novelty. There is a rhythm of Being between object and subject, not an ontological division. This rhythm powers the creative growth of the universe from one occasion of experience to the next. This is the Whiteheadian mantra: “The many become one and are increased by one.” - Matthew Segall

Without Love there is no Truth. And True Truth is always Loving. There is no dichotomy between these terms but only seamless integration. This is the premier centering focus of a Processual Theology of Love. - R.E. Slater

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Note: Generally I do not respond to commentary. I may read the comments but wish to reserve my time to write (or write from the comments I read). Instead, I'd like to see our community help one another and in the helping encourage and exhort each of us towards Christian love in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. - re slater

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Why Biblical History is Not That Simple Nor Straightforward



Why Biblical History is Not
That Simple Nor Straightforward

by R.E. Slater

For friends of Lauren Daigel,

Today, state courts in Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas mandated teaching the Bible as part of their history curriculum. However, over the past number of years I've come to see the bible in a far more complex fashion having spent the past twelve+ years moving across the different Christian landscapes explaining the many perspectives of bible education.

My background was that of a fundamental Baptist till 27; which next morphed into conservative evangelicalism till 55; which then slowly morphed these past many years towards Progressive post-Evangelicalism. But it has taken 70 years to get from there to here. To shorten the learning curve I've created Relevancy22 so that young people may be better enabled to move more quickly and accurately from the irregularities of traditional Christianity as I have observed during my lifetime to a more Jesus-centered, missional Gospel of Love.

I have done this so that the Christian faith might be a welcomed choice and not one left which many are currently doing. These ex-church friends and spiritual seekers are commonly known as the "Nones and Dones." I think we, as the church, can do better than this but to do so will require websites like this to help give direction pressing forward...

For myself, I needed to be led by the Spirit via "doubt and uncertainty" rather than the insipid declarations of those preaching-whirlwinds currently giving direction to the lost evangelical church at large. Yet, among the more introspective assemblies I've noticed a hopeful change which gives me heart that parts of the church will survive despite its political / politicized twin.

I.

By and large, I would welcome biblical history into the public schools as I once did when teaching for a short time. However, when teaching religious points-of-view this also means teaching to your existing student population. Here, where I presently live, my former public school district has 91 different cultures and language groups to educate. So one must expect that not all of school district hold to the assumed bias of (evangelical) Protestant Christian beliefs.

As example, the Hispanic/Spanish culture in my district I've discovered to have been raised in Catholic Christian beliefs while other segments of this same culture (which I used in their trades when building my house a few years back) have been raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist tradition. What is SDA? Basically, I think of them as kissing-cousins to conservative Baptists but leaning into OT laws more particularly while struggling with the NT transition between "Moses and Law" to "Jesus and love" - which, coincidently, this latter generosity of compassion, is highly practiced by SDA Hispanic Christians despite their ritualised observance of the Intertestamental sects of pre-Rabbinic legalistic traditions which Jesus had to deal with some 2000 years ago.


Sooooo, when considering teaching bible history into a public school district then religious education classes must necessarily teach about the religious cultures of the world and not only that of geo-localised Christian cultures if wishing to stay relevant. For an expanding democracy like America - should it survive its maga-self - this is a must.

II.

Also, when teaching the Bible, Americans need to understand Judaism, Islam, and a few other faith cultures in the Bible which I'll mention in a moment.

And when it comes to civic classes using the Bible as a directional moral code then we need to update the 10 Commandments to a more universal environment relevant to our global cultures of today. Below is an example of what I mean:


+

If schools are OK with mixing Christian moral code with relevant global action lists than school children, their parents, and the local community, would all profit in the trafficking of relevant, contemporary moral standards.

But I am also a cynic and know those running up these Christian morality lists are as broken as I am... that we all are dirty rags and our sins are plain before the Lord. That is, whether senator, judge, school representative, or parent, we all are prone to breaking ancient Israel's 4500 year old list of moral do's and don'ts... lying, killing, cheating, lust, avarice, greed, dis-respectfulness, etc.... All, all, all of which explicitly describes how today's world operates in churches, courts, political bodies of congress, business and so on....

Moreover, we have no further to look then to those adults who want morality lists placed into the public square to find those who live hypocritical lives daily in counter opposition to what they insist the rest of us must subscribe to under their religious laws.

So, in my estimation, why not pile-on perfectly good humanitarian and global awareness goals to give the school kids something else to shoot for in their course work relative to societal ethics, civil laws, and the questionable morality lists of sacrosanct leaders and churches? I'm all for it... and it's certainly a more positively appropriate way to teach impressionable kids hopefully not becoming cynical adults like myself.

I should also mention that if you don't like the word "humanist" in the list above then remember that i) 100 years ago the church was using this word commonly... as in, "Christian humanism," ... which has lately been updated and replaced by "social justice".... However, ii) if neither of those phrases floats your boat, then just rename the word "humanism" with the phrase, "my list to live by"... I'll be cool with that.

The Constitution states in the First Amendment that
the church is to be separate from the state. In so
doing we get as a result a more fair, equal, and 
unified democracy blending unlikes with likes.

III.

One last thought, and this is a big one - the bible itself ALSO has it's own history. A deep Semitic history that is ages and ages and ages old. And in that timeline there are many, many, many other older ancient histories impacting the evangelically imagined "biblical" histories, narratives, theologies, etc, which must also be taught to give context to how Israel's God became the God of Israel.

As a former teacher I've been working out over the recent years how one might approach teaching the bible within a contextual paleo-anthropomorphic background of how human civilizations arose, developed and became religious. To this end I've compiled, or written, hundreds of articles reaching back across traditional Christianity's "antidiluvian" histories.

Some of the topics covered are:

  • Ancient Civilizations and Religions,
  • The Deep History of Human Evolution
  • The History of Ancient Humanity,
  • The Evolution of God and Religion,
  • The Evolution of Man and Religion,
  • The Evolution of the Christian Faith,
  • How Religious Outlooks Affect Biblical Beliefs

But, fair warning, this site is post-evangelical and I've been resetting the Christian faith onto the foundations of (Whiteheadian) process theology so that younger generations might find a better contemporary flow between their "biblical" faith of yesteryear forward into the contemporary world at large... something I did not get in my church, college, or seminary experience.

And lastly - and most importantly - that younger generations might not leave the Christian faith as quickly or cyinically when coming to understand how to properly contemporize their Christian faith. I also suspect their mom and dad will deeply appreciate their kids staying in the Christian faith - however different it may look when updated from today's more typical Westernized and Americanized Christianity.

Peace,

R.E. Slater

Here is a link to several indexes at Relevancy22

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Related References







CURRICULUM

Should the Bible Be Taught in Public Schools?

by Evie Blad   |   July 15, 2024

The Bible is in art, literature, and history,
but teaching it remains fraught with challenges.

Recent moves by state leaders have reenergized a debate: Is teaching about the Bible in public schools necessary to develop well-rounded, culturally literate students? Is it possible to do so without violating the Constitution or unfairly singling out students of various faiths—or those with no faith at all?

Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters, who has called the separation of church and state a myth, issued a June 26 memo to school districts, directing them to incorporate the Bible into classes for 5th through 12th grades. “Immediate and strict compliance is expected,” he wrote.

Walters later announced a committee to review the state’s social studies standards and incorporate the Bible “as an instructional resource.”

His directive came a month after the Texas Education Agency proposed optional new elementary school English/language-arts materials that include references to the Bible alongside information about science and stories from history.

A 2nd grade unit on “fighting for a cause” includes the story of Queen Esther. A 3rd grade unit on the Roman empire calls for students to read passages about the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Texas officials said the scripture references provide important background knowledge to help students build reading comprehension.

Oklahoma will bring the Bible “back to our schools” because it is a a “momentous historical source” frequently cited in the 1600 and 1700s, Walters told PBS Newshour in a July 1 interview.

“The Left can be offended, they can be mad, they can be upset, but what they can’t do is they can’t rewrite history,” he said, predicting success with former President Donald Trump’s nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court if the state faces a legal challenge over the directive.

But some skeptics—including scholars who study the role of religion in public schools and efforts to teach the Bible in academic settings—panned Walter’s directive as another effort to insert Christianity into public life as the country becomes more religiously diverse.

“I think there’s a strong case to be made that biblical literacy is an important component of a broader religious literacy that is itself an essential component of cultural literacy, and that a broad religious literacy is essential in a religiously diverse democracy,” said Mark A. Chancey, a professor of religious studies at Southern Methodist University who studies Bible courses in public schools. “But it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that [Walters] is trying to promote his own particular religious views over those of everyone else.”





by Mark Walsh   |   July 11, 2024


The U.S. Supreme Court has held that while academic lessons on the Bible are permissible, devotional readings in public schools violate the establishment clause in the First Amendment, which protects Americans’ free exercise of religious beliefs.

Among Chancey’s concerns: Walters’ directive focused specifically on the Bible and no other religious texts, and the committee he assembled to review Oklahoma’s social studies standards includes evangelical activist David Barton, who rejects the notion that the U.S. Constitution protects religious pluralism.

The American Academy of Religion and the American Historical Association both condemned Walters’ directive, saying in statements that it “shrinks rather than expands religious literacy” by presenting a narrow view of the role of Christianity in the nation’s founding. And at least one leader, Norman schools Superintendent Nick Migliorino, said his district will not comply with Walters’ order or with his insistence in a June 27 state board meeting that “every teacher in the state will have a Bible in the classroom.”

“We’re gonna follow the law, we’re going to provide a great opportunity for our students, we’re going to do right by our students and right by our teachers, and we’re not going to have Bibles in our classroom,” Migliorino told the Norman Transcript.

A spokesperson for the Oklahoma department of education responded to emailed questions about Walters’ order by sending a press release about the social studies review. He did not respond specifically to questions about when state officials would provide schools additional resources on fulfilling the mandate or whether the agency would provide guidance on selecting a translation and respecting the rights of students from various religious backgrounds.

Connecting the Bible to background knowledge for reading

Among the newer arguments being used to bolster teaching the Bible is one that connects to the national conversation about reading. Supporters of calls to incorporate scripture into classwork argue students need a basic level of biblical literacy to understand common references in literature, stories depicted in significant art pieces, and the perspectives and beliefs of historical figures.

Research has long shown that background knowledge is linked to students’ ability to understand what they read. And more districts are exploring “knowledge-building curriculum,” an approach to English/language arts instruction that aims to systematically grow students’ knowledge about the world by using texts that incorporate literature, the arts, and science and social studies’ concepts to build vocabulary and fuel reading comprehension.

Now, some argue that familiarity with historically significant books like the Bible is an equity issue. Ensuring students have a basic knowledge of the text ensures there aren’t “language have-nots” who will always be at a verbal disadvantage, Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, wrote in a June 13 commentary about the Texas curricula. (Walters has since named Pondiscio to his social studies review committee, alongside big conservative names like Barton, radio host Dennis Prager, and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts.)





Sarah Schwartz   |   January 15, 2024


“Speakers and writers make assumptions about what listeners and readers know,” Pondiscio wrote. “Not just vocabulary, but a vast array of literary and historical allusions and idioms, including biblical references—Pandora’s box, a pound of flesh, prodigal son, good Samaritan, David and Goliath, forbidden fruit, white whale, to name but a few. These and countless other examples act as a kind of shorthand for complex ideas and concepts.”

Pondiscio cited E.D. Hirsch, a University of Virginia professor whose 1987 book Cultural Literacy included a list of 5,000 references, dates, and other bits of knowledge he claimed to represent the ideas shared by literate Americans. (That appendix lists Christianity as a topic as well as several references from biblical literature, but does not specifically name the Bible.)
Teachers face common pitfalls in teaching about the Bible

But even well-intentioned efforts to teach about the Bible can be fraught with challenges, said Chancey, the Southern Methodist University professor. And broad, unclear directives about Bible-teaching often overlook those difficulties.

For one thing, teachers must navigate differing views, even among Christian students, about how the text should be interpreted an applied, Chancey said. Even selecting a Bible translation can be tricky because various Christian sects differ on perspectives about accuracy and even which books to include. And teachers may not recognize the personal biases they carry about reading scripture.

“One of the biggest stumbling blocks is presentation of the Bible as straightforward and unproblematic history, which is in effect making a religious claim,” Chancey said.

People, including teachers, often read the Bible through “the interpretive lens with which they are most familiar,” sometimes without recognizing that other interpretations exist, he said. For example, a teacher may present the prophetic books of the Hebrew Torah or Old Testament as a foretelling of the birth and death of Jesus Christ without acknowledging that that viewpoint is not shared by Jews.





by Stephen Sawchuk   |   January 7, 2020


“Intentionally or not, Bible courses are often taught from religious perspectives, with the result that some students find their own beliefs endorsed in the classroom while others find theirs disparaged or ignored,” Chancey wrote in an influential 2013 analysis commissioned by the Texas Freedom Network, an organization that promotes the separation of church and state.

Using public records requests, Chancey obtained syllabi, quizzes, handouts, and other classroom materials from districts around the state to examine how educators taught elective Bible courses offered under a 2007 state law. That law also requires K-12 districts to incorporate “religious literature, including the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact on history and literature” into their required curricula.

Common concerns Chancey observed:
  • Teachers—many who had never had a college-level course in biblical or religious studies—often lacked training to teach the Bible in an academic way. In some cases, districts hired local Christian pastors to teach the courses.
  • Courses varied greatly in rigor and approach. Lessons included weekly requirements to memorize verses, a common practice in church Sunday schools; inaccurate or conflicting facts about the history of the Bible; and showing movies like Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” in class.
  • Teachers discussed Judaism in the Bible “through Christian eyes,” suggesting that Christ’s teachings in the New Testament supersede the covenant God made with the Jewish people in the Old Testament.
  • Materials included inaccurate quotes about the role of the Bible in the nation’s history.

Why switching between devotional and academic points of view be difficult

Teaching about the Bible can also create challenges for nonreligious students or those from minority faiths in classrooms where a majority of their classmates interpret the text through a similar Protestant lens, said James W. Fraser, professor of history and education at New York University and pastor emeritus of Grace Church in East Boston, Mass.

Students may have difficulty shifting between the devotional use of the Bible outside of the classroom to a purely academic approach at school, he said, and that can create a sense of isolation for those who don’t view the text in a similar way.

“I worry that in this day and age, mandating [teaching the Bible] is going to put it in the hands either of teachers who are hostile to it or teachers who want to turn it into the truth and teach it that way,” Fraser said. “Both of those perspectives can be very harmful to large numbers of students.”





Sarah Schwartz   |   August 31, 2023


Debates over teaching the Bible are woven throughout the nation’s history, said Benjamin Justice, a professor of educational theory, policy, and administration at the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education who has written several books on religion and public schools.

In the 19th century, the nation’s Protestant majority emphasized “the greatest common denominator” in schools, adopting practices that ran counter to the Catholic minority’s traditions. Schools adopted the King James Bible, a translation favored across many Protestant denominations that excludes entire books included in the canon used by Roman Catholics.

Leaders believed they found an answer to Catholics’ concerns about differing interpretations of scripture by directing schools to read the Bible without “note or comment.” But that solution created problems of its own, Justice said, because, while Protestants value individual interpretation of scripture, Catholics rely on Church authorities to help understand and apply the text. Open-ended reading of the text violated Catholic students’ religious values, creating conflict.

Those challenges could persist today if schools favor a Protestant interpretation of the text, Justice said.

“It’s actually violating a child’s First Amendment right to tell them that their interpretation of the Bible is wrong,” he said.

The challenges of presenting the text without favoring or excluding any particular religious group have only grown more complex as the nation has grown more religiously diverse, Justice said. He called Walters’ order a “baldly political ploy.”

“I don’t believe that this is a good faith effort to give kids a better education,” Justice said.

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

ChatGPT 4.0 and I Discuss Whitehead v Kant: References and Discussions



"Frankly, it is my opinion that succeeding fourth and fifth generation Whiteheadians will need to re-work Whitehead's thought per the infinitely arrayed organic structures of the universe, with the processualism metaphysic which plays amongst the universe's ontologies, including the compassionate value ethics which are prevelently inherited within the structures of negentropic evolution. As a late fourth generation acquirer of process (sic, Whitehead --> Griffin --> Cobb --> myself).
I've lately given myself to the task of educator / teacher for some years now as attempting to marry processual philosophy to processual theology to processual science to processual cultures and processual ecological societies. The common foundation of Whiteheadian organic process philosophy makes this easy enough on the upper layers of academic disciplines but requires some constructivism by specialized experts in their fields in application to the layers lying underneath each polemic in order to re-right Western analytic thought away from its materialism and towards the continuity of organism and organistic value processes throughout the metaverses of our being including that of the very universe itself.
As such, I find in Whitehead a renewal of the ancient and the promise for the future. It links the past to the present and gives hope to the future. And like any proper, compassionate, faith or religion, I find such a philosophical undertaking helpful in the re-orientation of society and nature away from mitigating self-destruction and positively towards generational renewal, commitment, thrival, and purpose."
- R.E. Slater

ChatGPT 4.0 & I Discuss
Whitehead v Kant:
References and Discussions


Additional References to the last post:


Critique of Pure Feeling: Kant and Whitehead
by Matthew Segall



Kant, Whitehead and Reality: Beyond Materialism
by Matthew Segall



Crossing the Threshold: The Post Kantian
Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead
by Matthew Segall  |  June 30, 2023

Professor of philosophy Matthew D. Segall returns to Rev Left to discuss his newest book, which is based on his disseratation, titled "Crossing the Threshold: Etheric Imagination in the Post-Kantian Process Philosophy of Schelling and Whitehead". Together, they discuss the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Schelling, and Alfred North Whitehead, and work through the vision of the cosmos - and of our place in it - that emerges from their work.



This book is a philosophical experiment in thinking, feeling, and willing beyond the transcendental threshold of Immanuel Kant's critical philosophy. It draws inspiration from the organic process philosophies of F. W. J. Schelling and A. N. Whitehead to articulate a descendental aesthetic ontology showing the way across the epistemological chasm that Kant's critiques hewed between knowledge and reality. This descendental inversion of Kantian transcendentalism aims to bridge the chasm-not by resolving the structure of reality into clear and distinct concepts-but by replanting cognition in the aesthetic processes that power it. The key to this reconnection is found in a new etheric power of imagination, which if consciously cultivated can grant the process philosopher direct experience of the cosmic creativity expressing itself in both the depths of the soul and throughout the physical world. With human knowing no longer conceived of as a transcendental onlooker but rather rooted again in cosmogenesis, the ancient hermetic maxim that we are microcosmic participants in the Life of the Whole is reaffirmed.


Alfred North Whitehead was among the first initiates into the twentieth century’s new cosmological story. In this newly revised and expanded edition, Segall both sets Whitehead’s philosophy of organism in historical context and brings it into conversation with key elements of contemporary scientific cosmology—including relativistic, quantum, evolutionary, and complexity theories. It lays bare the inadequacy of the materialistic-mechanistic metaphysical interpretation of these theories and exemplifies the contributions Whitehead’s cosmological scheme can make to the urgent transdisciplinary project of integrating natural science with the presuppositions of human civilization. The latest scientific discoveries reveal a universe that is nearly crying aloud for an ensouled reinterpretation, one in which, for example, physics and chemistry would no longer be merely descriptions of the meaningless motion of molecules to which biology is ultimately reducible, but rather themselves become studies of creative self-organization at ecological scales other than the biological.


Whitehead was among the first initiates into the 20th century’s new cosmological story. This book bring’s Whitehead’s philosophy of organism into conversation with several components of contemporary scientific cosmology—including relativistic, quantum, evolutionary, and complexity theories—in order to both exemplify the inadequacy of the traditional materialistic-mechanistic metaphysical interpretation of them, and to display the relevance of Whitehead’s cosmological scheme to the transdisciplinary project of integrating these theories and their data with the presuppositions of human civilization. This data is nearly crying aloud for a cosmologically ensouled interpretation, one in which, for example, physics and chemistry are no longer considered to be descriptions of the meaningless motion of molecules to which biology is ultimately reducible, but rather themselves become studies of living organization at ecological scales other than the biological.


by Matthew David Segall | Apr 18, 2010

I explore the ideas of thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead, Francisco Varela, Jean Gebser, William Irwin Thompson, and Alf Hornborg in an attempt to critique both techno-industrial capitalism and mechanistic biology. I offer the beginnings of an integral response to market cosmology.












Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling (1775-1854) spent his philosophical career striving to realize the Absolute system, but he did so in full recognition of the fact that the Absolute is not finally a logical system, but a living actuality. Accordingly, for Schelling, “life is the criterion of truth.” Though his critics often dismissed his thought as fragmentary and protean, C. S. Peirce, in a letter to William James, remarked that it was precisely Schelling’s “freedom from the trammels of system” and willingness to approach philosophical ideas experimentally rather than dogmatically that he admired most: “In that, he is like a scientific man.” This book, written in the context of a resurgence of interest in Schelling's work, as well as during a planetary ecological emergency and geo-political crisis, draws upon the deep well of his thought in the hope that it can aid human civilization’s attempt to re-imagine itself. Schelling's philosophy provides many of the anthropological, theological, and cosmological resources necessary for bringing forth an alternative form of modernity no longer bent on the destruction of earth and the disintegration of human communities.


I explore the ideas of thinkers like Alfred North Whitehead, Francisco Varela, Jean Gebser, William Irwin Thompson, and Alf Hornborg in an attempt to critique both techno-industrial capitalism and mechanistic biology. I offer the beginnings of an integral response to market cosmology.










Integral Imaginings, by Matthew David Segall (Author) | December 15, 2011

The essays compiled herein are written on behalf of earth, the ground upon which I walk and the soil into which I will one day return. They contain the thought-traces of a thinker in love with wisdom.












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ChatGPT 4.0 and I Discuss Kant & Whitehead

by R.E. Slater
July 10, 2024

Hi

ChatGPT
Hello! How can I assist you today?
---

Please compare Alfred North Whitehead's "Process Philosophy" 
to Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason."

ChatGPT

Comparing Alfred North Whitehead's "Process Philosophy" to Immanuel Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason" involves examining two distinct philosophical systems, each with its own unique perspective on the nature of reality, knowledge, and experience.

Alfred North Whitehead's Process Philosophy

Key Concepts:

  1. Process and Change: Whitehead's philosophy emphasizes that reality is not composed of static substances but of ongoing processes and events. He posits that everything is in a state of flux.
  2. Actual Entities: The fundamental units of reality are "actual entities" or "occasions of experience," which are interrelated and constantly evolving.
  3. Prehensions: These are the ways in which entities interact with and influence each other. Prehensions can be positive (contributory) or negative (eliminative).
  4. Eternal Objects: These are abstract forms or potentials that actual entities can realize. They are similar to Platonic forms and provide a means for understanding the possibilities inherent in the processes of becoming.
  5. God: In Whitehead's system, God is not a static being but a process that interacts with the world, influencing and being influenced by it. God provides a source of novelty and order.

Philosophical Implications:

  • Metaphysics of Becoming: Whitehead's emphasis on process and change leads to a metaphysics that focuses on becoming rather than being.
  • Interconnectedness: His view underscores the interconnected nature of all entities, suggesting a holistic view of the universe.
  • Temporal Reality: Time and temporality are central to understanding the nature of reality, as everything is in a constant state of development and evolution.

Immanuel Kant's Critique of Pure Reason

Key Concepts:

  1. Transcendental Idealism: Kant posits that our experience of reality is shaped by the way our mind structures sensory input. We can never know things-in-themselves (noumena), only the phenomena that appear to us.
  2. A Priori Knowledge: Kant distinguishes between a priori (independent of experience) and a posteriori (dependent on experience) knowledge. He argues that certain fundamental concepts (such as space, time, and causality) are a priori and shape all our experiences.
  3. Categories of Understanding: Kant identifies twelve categories of understanding that the mind uses to organize experiences, such as causality, unity, and plurality.
  4. Synthetic A Priori Judgments: These are judgments that extend our knowledge and are necessarily true, forming the basis of much of science and mathematics.
  5. Limits of Reason: Kant argues that reason has limits and that attempting to go beyond these limits leads to contradictions and illusions (antinomies).

Philosophical Implications:

  • Epistemology: Kant's work significantly contributes to epistemology by arguing that the mind plays an active role in shaping our experiences.
  • Phenomenon and Noumenon: This distinction creates a dualism between the world as it appears to us and the world as it is in itself.
  • Foundation of Modern Philosophy: Kant's critical philosophy serves as a foundation for much of modern Western philosophy, influencing both analytic and continental traditions.

Comparison

1. Ontology:

  • Whitehead: Focuses on becoming and process, where reality is seen as dynamic and evolving.
  • Kant: Emphasizes the distinction between phenomena (the world as we experience it) and noumena (the world as it is in itself).

2. Epistemology:

  • Whitehead: Knowledge is derived from the processes and interactions of actual entities.
  • Kant: Knowledge is structured by the a priori categories of the mind, and we can only know phenomena, not things-in-themselves.

3. Metaphysics:

  • Whitehead: Metaphysics is centered around the idea of interrelated processes and the interconnectedness of all entities.
  • Kant: Metaphysics is constrained by the limits of human reason, which can only deal with phenomena and not the ultimate nature of reality.

4. Role of God:

  • Whitehead: God is an evolving process that interacts with the world.
  • Kant: God is part of the noumenal realm and cannot be known through reason alone.

5. Nature of Reality:

  • Whitehead: Reality is fundamentally characterized by change and development.
  • Kant: Reality is mediated by our perceptual and cognitive faculties, which shape our experience of the world.

In summary, Whitehead's process philosophy and Kant's critical philosophy offer contrasting views on reality and knowledge. Whitehead emphasizes dynamic processes and interconnectedness, while Kant focuses on the structures of the mind that shape our experience and the limitations of human reason.

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What are Kant's "Ten Categories"
and what is a Category?

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Immanuel Kant’s "Categories" are central to his philosophy, specifically in his work "Critique of Pure Reason." They are part of his broader framework of transcendental idealism, which asserts that our experience of reality is mediated by the mind's inherent structures. Kant posits twelve categories rather than ten, which are fundamental concepts that the mind uses to organize and interpret sensory data.

What is a Category?

In Kantian philosophy, a category is a pure concept of the understanding that is used by the mind to structure experiences. Categories are a priori, meaning they are innate and not derived from experience. They function as the foundational elements through which all empirical knowledge is processed and understood. Without these categories, sensory data would be chaotic and unstructured, making coherent experience and knowledge impossible.

Kant's Twelve Categories

Kant groups the twelve categories into four classes, each with three categories. These categories correspond to different aspects of how we perceive and understand the world:

  1. Quantity:

    • Unity: The concept of one or a single entity.
    • Plurality: The concept of more than one or multiple entities.
    • Totality: The concept of a complete or whole set of entities.
  2. Quality:

    • Reality: The concept of existence or being.
    • Negation: The concept of non-existence or the absence of being.
    • Limitation: The concept of something being finite or limited in some way.
  3. Relation:

    • Inherence and Subsistence (Substance and Accident): The concept of something that exists independently (substance) and something that exists in another (accident).
    • Causality and Dependence (Cause and Effect): The concept that one thing (cause) brings about another (effect).
    • Community (Reciprocal Action or Interaction): The concept of mutual influence between entities.
  4. Modality:

    • Possibility: The concept of something that can exist or happen.
    • Existence (Actuality): The concept of something that does exist or is happening.
    • Necessity: The concept of something that must exist or happen.

Significance of the Categories

  1. Structuring Experience: The categories provide the necessary framework for synthesizing sensory data into coherent experiences. Without them, perceptions would be disjointed and incomprehensible.

  2. A Priori Knowledge: Since the categories are a priori, they form the basis for certain universal and necessary aspects of knowledge. For example, the category of causality allows us to understand that events are linked by cause and effect relationships.

  3. Phenomenal World: The categories apply only to the phenomenal world—the world as we experience it. They do not apply to the noumenal world—the world of things-in-themselves, which we cannot know directly.

  4. Critical Philosophy: Kant’s theory of categories is part of his critical philosophy, which seeks to explore the limits and capabilities of human reason. By identifying the categories, Kant shows how the mind actively shapes our experience of reality, thus bridging the gap between rationalist and empiricist philosophies.

Summary

Kant’s twelve categories are fundamental concepts used by the mind to organize and interpret sensory data. They are essential for structuring coherent experiences and form the basis for much of our a priori knowledge. Understanding these categories is crucial for grasping Kant’s broader project of transcendental idealism, which argues that while we can know the world of phenomena (appearances), we cannot know the noumenal world (things-in-themselves).

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Does Whitehead use Kant's Categories or have something like them?
And if he did, what are Whitehead's "Categories?"

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Alfred North Whitehead does indeed incorporate a structured framework similar to Kant's categories, though his approach and terminology differ significantly due to his process-oriented metaphysics. Whitehead’s "categories" are part of his broader philosophical system known as process philosophy, which emphasizes becoming, change, and the interrelation of events over static being.

Whitehead's Categories

Whitehead’s categories are outlined in his major work, "Process and Reality." He introduces several key categories and concepts that function to structure our understanding of reality within his processual framework.

1. Categories of Existence: These categories refer to the different kinds of entities that exist in Whitehead's metaphysical scheme.

  • Actual Entities: The fundamental units of reality, also known as "actual occasions." These are the basic building blocks of the universe, characterized by their process of becoming.
  • Prehensions: The ways in which actual entities interact with and relate to each other. Prehensions can be positive (contributory) or negative (eliminative).
  • Nexus (Plural: Nexūs): Groupings or societies of actual entities that are interrelated and form complex structures.
  • Eternal Objects: Abstract forms or potentials that actual entities can realize. They provide the realm of possibilities for the processes of becoming.

2. Categories of Explanation: These categories offer a way to explain how actual entities operate and interact within the framework of process philosophy.

  • Subjective Aim: The internal purpose or drive of an actual entity towards a specific realization of its potential.
  • Superject: The outcome of the process of becoming, where an actual entity attains its final state and influences subsequent entities.
  • Concrescence: The process through which an actual entity integrates various prehensions into a unified experience.
  • Satisfaction: The final phase of an actual entity's concrescence, where it achieves a determinate state and contributes to future processes.

3. Categories of Subjective Forms: These categories describe how actual entities experience and interpret their prehensions.

  • Emotional Forms: Feelings or affective tones associated with prehensions.
  • Conceptual Forms: Intellectual or abstract aspects of prehensions.
  • Satisfaction Forms: The final state of an actual entity, integrating all prehensions and subjective forms into a coherent whole.

4. Ontological Principle: A foundational principle stating that the reasons for the existence of actual entities and their characteristics are always found within the process of actual entities themselves.

Comparison with Kant’s Categories

While Whitehead's categories serve a similar structural role in his philosophy as Kant’s categories do in his, there are significant differences:

1. Nature of Reality:

  • Kant: Focuses on static categories that structure human experience of phenomena. The categories are a priori concepts that apply to all possible experiences.
  • Whitehead: Emphasizes dynamic processes and the interconnectedness of events. His categories describe how entities become and relate to one another in a constantly changing reality.

2. Role of Entities:

  • Kant: Deals with categories of understanding that apply universally to objects of experience.
  • Whitehead: Deals with actual entities and their processes of becoming, focusing on the relational and developmental aspects of reality.

3. Metaphysical Assumptions:

  • Kant: Works within a dualistic framework, separating phenomena (the world as experienced) from noumena (the world as it is in itself).
  • Whitehead: Rejects such dualism, positing a monistic process-oriented view where everything is interconnected and in a state of flux.

Summary

Whitehead's categories are integral to his process philosophy, providing a framework for understanding the dynamic and interrelated nature of reality. They are conceptually similar to Kant's categories in that they structure our understanding, but they differ fundamentally in their focus on process, change, and relationality rather than static being and fixed structures. Whitehead's categories describe how entities come into being, interact, and contribute to the ongoing process of reality, aligning with his metaphysical emphasis on becoming and interconnectedness.

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Since both philosopher's works are a hundred years old or older what kinds of philosophies
or philosopher's have updated or replaced Kantian Idealism and Whitehead's Processualism?

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Philosophy has evolved significantly since the times of Kant and Whitehead, with many thinkers building upon, critiquing, or offering alternatives to their ideas. Below are some notable developments and philosophers who have updated or replaced aspects of Kantian Idealism and Whitehead’s Process Philosophy:

Updates to Kantian Idealism

1. Neo-Kantianism:

  • Ernst Cassirer: Emphasized the role of symbolic forms in human understanding, expanding Kant’s ideas into the realms of culture, language, and science.
  • Hermann Cohen: Focused on the role of science and logic, arguing for a rigorous, scientific form of idealism.

2. Phenomenology:

  • Edmund Husserl: Developed a method for studying the structures of consciousness, emphasizing intentionality and the lived experience. Although not strictly Kantian, Husserl’s work retains a focus on how phenomena appear to consciousness.
  • Martin Heidegger: Built on Husserl’s phenomenology and critiqued Kant’s focus on epistemology, emphasizing ontology and the nature of being.

3. Analytic Philosophy:

  • Wilfrid Sellars: Critiqued the "Myth of the Given," challenging the idea that we can have immediate, non-conceptual knowledge of the world. Sellars sought to integrate empirical knowledge with philosophical analysis.
  • Gareth Evans and John McDowell: Worked on theories of perception and mind, integrating Kantian insights into contemporary discussions in philosophy of mind and epistemology.

4. Critical Theory:

  • Jürgen Habermas: Expanded Kantian ideas into social theory, focusing on communicative action and the role of rational discourse in society.

5. Post-Structuralism and Deconstruction:

  • Michel Foucault: Examined the relationship between power and knowledge, critiquing the universalist assumptions of Kantian thought.
  • Jacques Derrida: Deconstructed traditional philosophical concepts, including those rooted in Kantian dualisms, emphasizing the fluidity and instability of meaning.

Updates to Whitehead’s Process Philosophy

1. Process Thought:

  • Charles Hartshorne: Further developed Whitehead’s ideas, especially in the philosophy of religion, emphasizing panentheism and the dynamic nature of God.
  • David Ray Griffin: Integrated process philosophy with ecological and postmodern thought, focusing on issues like environmental ethics and sustainability.

2. Systems Theory and Cybernetics:

  • Ludwig von Bertalanffy: Developed General Systems Theory, which shares with process philosophy an emphasis on interrelatedness and dynamic systems.
  • Norbert Wiener: Pioneered cybernetics, the study of systems, control, and communication in animals and machines, aligning with processual thinking about dynamic interactions.

3. Continental Philosophy:

  • Gilles Deleuze: Influenced by Whitehead, developed a philosophy of becoming, emphasizing difference, multiplicity, and the dynamic processes of reality.
  • Henri Bergson: While earlier, his ideas on time, change, and creativity resonated with process philosophy and influenced later thinkers like Deleuze.

4. Post-Modern Philosophy:

  • Jean-François Lyotard: Explored the implications of postmodernity on knowledge, emphasizing the fluidity and temporality of truth claims, in a manner somewhat resonant with process philosophy.

5. Environmental Philosophy:

  • Arne Næss: Founder of Deep Ecology, which aligns with process thought in its emphasis on interconnectedness and the intrinsic value of nature.
  • Val Plumwood: Developed ecofeminism, critiquing dualisms and emphasizing relationality and interdependence, themes central to process philosophy.

Contemporary Philosophical Trends

1. Pragmatism and Neo-Pragmatism:

  • Richard Rorty: Critiqued the search for absolute foundations in philosophy, advocating for a more contingent, context-dependent approach to knowledge and truth.
  • Hilary Putnam: Developed internal realism, blending elements of Kantian idealism with pragmatic considerations about truth and reality.

2. Embodied Cognition and Enactivism:

  • Francisco Varela and Evan Thompson: Emphasized the embodied, enactive nature of cognition, resonating with process philosophy’s focus on dynamic interaction and relationality.

3. Speculative Realism:

  • Quentin Meillassoux: Critiqued the correlationism of post-Kantian philosophy, arguing for a speculative approach to reality that acknowledges the independence of the world from human thought.
  • Graham Harman: Developed Object-Oriented Ontology, emphasizing the autonomy of objects and their interactions, aligning with process philosophy’s focus on interrelations.

Summary

Philosophers have built upon, critiqued, and reinterpreted the ideas of Kant and Whitehead, leading to diverse and rich philosophical traditions. From Neo-Kantianism and phenomenology to process thought and contemporary pragmatism, the influence of these foundational thinkers persists in various updated and expanded forms. These developments reflect an ongoing engagement with issues of knowledge, reality, and experience, continually adapting to new contexts and challenges.

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Comparing the information above can it be said that in some sense Kant
or Whitehead continues to pervade postmodern or metamodern thought?

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Yes, it can be said that both Kant and Whitehead continue to pervade postmodern and metamodern thought in various ways. Their foundational ideas have been reinterpreted, critiqued, and expanded upon, shaping contemporary philosophical discourse. Here’s how their influences manifest in postmodern and metamodern thought:

Kant’s Influence

Postmodern Thought:

  • Critique of Universalism: Postmodern philosophers like Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida critique the universalist assumptions of Kantian thought. However, their work often engages deeply with Kantian ideas, such as the limits of reason and the conditions of possibility for knowledge.
  • Deconstruction: Derrida’s deconstruction can be seen as an extension of Kant’s critical project, examining the instability and contingency of meaning within language and texts.
  • Power and Knowledge: Foucault’s exploration of the relationship between power and knowledge builds on Kant’s insights into how structures of understanding shape our experience of reality.

Metamodern Thought:

  • Synthesis of Opposites: Metamodernism often seeks to reconcile or oscillate between modern and postmodern ideas. Kant’s dialectical method and his synthesis of empirical and rational elements in his epistemology resonate with this approach.
  • Revisiting Universalism: Some metamodern thinkers revisit the idea of universal principles, albeit in a more flexible and contextual manner than Kant’s original formulations. This reflects a desire to find common grounds without the rigidity of Enlightenment universalism.

Whitehead’s Influence

Postmodern Thought:

  • Process and Relationality: Whitehead’s emphasis on process and relationality is echoed in postmodern critiques of static, essentialist metaphysics. Thinkers like Gilles Deleuze draw on Whitehead’s process philosophy to articulate a dynamic, fluid ontology.
  • Interconnectedness: Postmodern environmental and ecological philosophies often draw on Whitehead’s ideas to emphasize the interconnectedness of all entities and the importance of holistic thinking.

Metamodern Thought:

  • Dynamic Systems: Metamodernism’s focus on complexity, systems thinking, and interdependence aligns closely with Whitehead’s process philosophy. This perspective sees reality as composed of dynamic, interrelated processes rather than static substances.
  • Holistic Approaches: Whitehead’s holistic approach to understanding reality influences metamodern thought’s emphasis on integration and synthesis across different domains of knowledge and experience.

Key Themes Connecting to Kant and Whitehead

1. Epistemological Reflection:

  • Kant: The limits of knowledge and the conditions under which knowledge is possible remain central concerns.
  • Whitehead: The relational nature of knowledge and the process of becoming continue to shape contemporary epistemological debates.

2. Ontological Considerations:

  • Kant: The distinction between phenomena and noumena influences ongoing discussions about the nature of reality and our access to it.
  • Whitehead: The idea of a dynamic, interconnected universe informs contemporary metaphysical discussions.

3. Ethical and Political Implications:

  • Kant: The emphasis on autonomy, moral law, and the categorical imperative influence ongoing debates in ethics and political philosophy.
  • Whitehead: The focus on interconnectedness and the impact of individual actions on the whole resonates with contemporary environmental and ethical thought.

Summary

Both Kant and Whitehead continue to influence postmodern and metamodern thought, albeit in different ways. Kant’s critical philosophy provides a foundation for understanding the limits and conditions of knowledge, while Whitehead’s process philosophy offers a dynamic, relational view of reality. Contemporary philosophers build on, critique, and reinterpret their ideas, ensuring that their legacies persist in shaping the evolving landscape of philosophical thought.

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How would a philosopher describe an integral theory of everything and are there philosophical theories which might be good applicants in replacing past integral theories such as Platonism, Aristotlelianism, Scholasticism, or Enlightenment Theory?

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An integral theory of everything in philosophy would be an attempt to create a comprehensive framework that unites all aspects of human knowledge and experience into a coherent whole. Such a theory would need to encompass various domains, including metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, aesthetics, and the natural and social sciences, striving to provide a unified understanding of reality.

Key Characteristics of an Integral Theory of Everything

1. Holistic Approach:

  • Interconnectedness: Recognizes the interconnected nature of all phenomena, emphasizing the relationships and interactions between different elements of reality.
  • Integration: Seeks to integrate insights from diverse fields and disciplines into a unified framework.

2. Multidimensional:

  • Levels of Reality: Acknowledges multiple levels or dimensions of reality, from physical and biological to psychological, social, and spiritual.
  • Complexity: Embraces the complexity of the world, understanding that different levels of reality interact in dynamic and often non-linear ways.

3. Evolutionary Perspective:

  • Process and Change: Views reality as an ongoing process of evolution and development, where new forms and structures emerge over time.
  • Developmental Stages: Recognizes stages of development or evolution in various domains, from individual psychological growth to societal progress.

4. Inclusiveness:

  • Diverse Perspectives: Incorporates diverse perspectives and methodologies, valuing both scientific and humanistic approaches.
  • Pluralism: Embraces philosophical pluralism, recognizing that different traditions and viewpoints can contribute valuable insights to the whole.

Contemporary Philosophical Theories as Applicants

Several contemporary philosophical theories aspire to provide such a comprehensive framework, potentially serving as successors to past integral theories like Platonism, Aristotelianism, Scholasticism, or Enlightenment Theory. Here are a few notable examples:

1. Integral Theory (Ken Wilber):

  • AQAL Model: Wilber’s "All Quadrants, All Levels" (AQAL) model integrates four dimensions of reality (interior/individual, interior/collective, exterior/individual, exterior/collective) and various levels of development.
  • Holons: Recognizes that everything in the universe is a whole/part (a "holon") that is both a whole in itself and a part of larger wholes.
  • Developmental Stages: Proposes a series of developmental stages for both individuals and societies, integrating insights from psychology, spirituality, and sociology.

2. Process Philosophy (Alfred North Whitehead, Charles Hartshorne):

  • Dynamic Reality: Emphasizes the dynamic and processual nature of reality, where everything is in a state of becoming and interrelation.
  • Panentheism: Integrates theology and metaphysics, positing that God is intimately involved in the processes of the world.
  • Relational Ontology: Focuses on the relationships and interactions between entities as the fundamental constituents of reality.

3. Systems Theory and Cybernetics:

  • Interconnected Systems: Views the world as composed of complex, interconnected systems that exhibit self-regulation and adaptive behavior.
  • Feedback Loops: Emphasizes the importance of feedback mechanisms in maintaining the stability and evolution of systems.
  • Holistic Analysis: Applies to various fields, from biology and ecology to sociology and economics, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding complex phenomena.

4. Phenomenology and Existentialism (Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty):

  • Lived Experience: Focuses on the structures of lived experience and the ways in which individuals encounter the world.
  • Embodiment: Emphasizes the role of the body in shaping our experience and understanding of reality.
  • Being and Time: Heidegger’s existential phenomenology explores the nature of being and the temporality of human existence.

5. Post-Structuralism and Deconstruction (Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault):

  • Fluid Meanings: Emphasizes the fluidity and contingency of meaning, critiquing fixed structures and universal truths.
  • Power and Knowledge: Foucault’s analysis of the relationship between power and knowledge offers a comprehensive framework for understanding social dynamics and institutions.
  • Textual Analysis: Derrida’s deconstruction provides tools for analyzing texts and cultural artifacts, revealing the underlying assumptions and contradictions.

6. Pragmatism and Neo-Pragmatism (John Dewey, Richard Rorty):

  • Practical Consequences: Focuses on the practical implications and consequences of ideas, valuing experiential and experimental approaches.
  • Pluralism and Contingency: Emphasizes philosophical pluralism and the contingency of truth claims, advocating for a flexible and adaptive approach to knowledge.
  • Democracy and Education: Dewey’s emphasis on democracy and education as central to human flourishing provides a comprehensive social and ethical framework.

Summary

An integral theory of everything would aim to unify diverse domains of knowledge and experience into a coherent, comprehensive framework. Contemporary philosophical theories such as Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory, Process Philosophy, Systems Theory, Phenomenology, Post-Structuralism, and Pragmatism offer promising approaches for developing such a framework. Each of these theories incorporates elements of holism, multidimensionality, evolution, and inclusiveness, seeking to address the complexity and interconnectedness of reality in a way that resonates with the integral ambitions of past philosophical traditions.

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Can Alain Badious' theory of "Being and Event"
be described as an integral theory?

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Alain Badiou’s theory of "Being and Event" is a significant contribution to contemporary philosophy, but it differs in several ways from what might be traditionally understood as an integral theory of everything. However, Badiou’s work does seek to integrate various aspects of ontology, mathematics, politics, and the theory of the subject, making it a comprehensive and influential framework. Here’s an exploration of how Badiou’s "Being and Event" aligns with and diverges from integral theories:

Key Concepts in Badiou’s "Being and Event"

1. Ontology and Mathematics:

  • Set Theory: Badiou uses mathematical set theory as the foundation for his ontology, arguing that mathematics is the ultimate language of being.
  • Multiple: He emphasizes the concept of the multiple over the one, challenging traditional notions of unity and substance in metaphysics.

2. The Event:

  • Event: An event is a radical occurrence that disrupts the normal order of things and brings about a new situation or truth.
  • Intervention: Subjects are created through their intervention in an event, which reconfigures their relation to the existing order.

3. Truth and Fidelity:

  • Truth Procedures: Badiou identifies four domains where truths can emerge: science, art, politics, and love. Each domain has its own procedures for generating and recognizing truths.
  • Fidelity: The commitment to an event and the process of maintaining fidelity to the truth it reveals is central to Badiou’s theory.

4. The Subject:

  • Subjectivation: Subjects are formed through their fidelity to an event, embodying the truths that the event brings forth.
  • Generic Humanity: Badiou’s concept of the subject is universal and generic, transcending individual differences and focusing on the collective dimension of human experience.

Comparison with Integral Theories

1. Holistic Approach:

  • Badiou: While Badiou’s theory integrates multiple domains (science, art, politics, love), it does so within a specific framework of ontology and truth, rather than seeking a holistic synthesis of all knowledge.
  • Integral Theories: Typically aim for a more comprehensive integration of diverse fields, including natural and social sciences, spirituality, and humanities.

2. Multidimensionality:

  • Badiou: Focuses on the multiplicity and the role of events in generating new truths, but does not explicitly address multiple levels or dimensions of reality in the same way integral theories do.
  • Integral Theories: Often emphasize multiple levels of reality or stages of development (e.g., Ken Wilber’s AQAL model).

3. Evolutionary Perspective:

  • Badiou: The concept of the event introduces an element of disruption and transformation, but Badiou does not frame this within a broader evolutionary context.
  • Integral Theories: Typically incorporate an evolutionary perspective, seeing development and progression as fundamental aspects of reality.

4. Inclusiveness:

  • Badiou: While his theory is inclusive of different truth procedures, it is primarily focused on the transformative potential of events and the fidelity of subjects to these events.
  • Integral Theories: Aim to inclusively synthesize diverse perspectives and methodologies, often emphasizing a pluralistic and integrative approach.

Summary

Alain Badiou’s "Being and Event" is a profound and comprehensive framework that integrates aspects of ontology, mathematics, politics, and the theory of the subject. While it shares some similarities with integral theories, such as a focus on transformation and the role of events in shaping reality, it differs in its specific approach and scope. Badiou’s work is more focused on the nature of being, the structure of events, and the formation of subjects through fidelity to events, rather than aiming for a holistic synthesis of all domains of knowledge and experience.

In conclusion, Badiou’s "Being and Event" can be seen as a significant philosophical framework with integrative elements, but it is not an integral theory in the broader sense typically associated with holistic and evolutionary synthesis. It remains a crucial and influential contribution to contemporary thought, particularly in its unique approach to ontology and the role of events in the emergence of truths.

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Thank you. I would like to compare Whiteheadian thought to the
various listed integral theories mentioned above at a later time.
Please file and save under "Kant v. Whitehead." Bye.

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Got it! I've saved the discussion for later comparison. If you need anything else in the future, feel free to reach out. Bye!