Pretende mostrarse en este artículo que la física clásica1 no deja lugar para el indeterminismo, tal como Laplace proclamó hace casi dos siglos. No se discute aquí la validez de la física clásica; el objetivo es mostrar que ésta es un modelo del mundo determinista, y si el mundo responde a este modelo o no es otro tema. Algunos autores, como Popper o Prigogine, han intentado rebatir este determinismo en la física clásica en base a argumentos tales como la (...) existencia de sistemas con bifurcaciones, la flecha del tiempo, el caos, etc. Muchos filósofos postmodernos también han elegido el tema del caos para defender ciertas ideas tan confusas como erróneas ("en río revuelto ganancia de pescadores"). Sin embargo, aquí se mostrará que todo lo que están haciendo estos autores es básicamente confundir de manera inapropiada el determinismo con la predictibilidad, y que Laplace estaba más en lo cierto que sus detractores. (shrink)

The aim of this paper is to analyze time-asymmetric quantum mechanics with respect to the problems of irreversibility and of time's arrow. We begin with arguing that both problems are conceptually different. Then, we show that, contrary to a common opinion, the theory's ability to describe irreversible quantum processes is not a consequence of the semigroup evolution laws expressing the non-time-reversal invariance of the theory. Finally, we argue that time-asymmetric quantum mechanics, either in Prigogine's version or in Bohm's version, (...) does not solve the problem of the arrow of time because it does not supply a substantial and theoretically founded criterion for distinguishing between the two directions of time. (shrink)

This paper proposes a unifying naturalistic framework that examines the fundamental nature and purpose of life—not limited to human life but encompassing all living systems. It challenges the traditional separation between living and non-living entities, proposing instead that life is not as uniquely distinct as traditionally perceived, but rather a complex form of dissipative structure—a thermodynamic concept introduced by physical chemist Ilya Prigogine. Building upon this understanding of life's essence and its existential necessity, this study argues that the primary (...) imperative of life is to counteract the natural tendency toward disorder, as dictated by the second law of thermodynamics. This perspective further provides a novel approach to David Hume’s famous is-ought problem by demonstrating that the imperative to sustain order arises as an existential necessity rather than a moral construct. The paper applies this unifying framework to various domains, including biology, ethics, and human culture, to validate its coherence and examine its implications for the future evolution of life. Ultimately, this study presents a new foundation for understanding life’s nature and purpose within a broader cosmic context. (shrink)

As a sort of intellectual provocation and as a lateral thinking strategy for creativity, this chapter seeks to determine what the study of the dynamics of biodiversity can offer linguists. In recent years, the analogical equation "language = biological species" has become more widespread as a metaphorical source for conceptual renovation, and, at the same time, as a justification for the defense of language diversity. Language diversity would be protected in a way similar to the mobilization that has taken place (...) to protect endangered species. Nevertheless, one must be careful when uncritically transferring conceptualizations and theoretical frameworks from one field to another, since obviously, these two phenomena are quite different in the real world. The dialogue with bioecologists starts by asking about the formation of diversity, i.e., about specialization. Here, one can observe the similarity between the processes of linguistic and genetic fragmentation, in the sense that both phenomena have a (socio)geographical basis for dispersion and consequently, for the loss of their original compact nature and their intercommunication. The self-organizing and creative properties of human beings favor the development of specific varieties for each subset, varieties that continue to evolve constantly, through the unceasing "languaging" of humanity. Regarding the continuity of species or languages, one can also observe the decisive role of intragroup relations. The staying power of linguistic varieties will increase in direct proportion to the intensity of the relationship among the components of the subset. On the other hand, if exotic elements are introduced, especially if these elements are aggressive in nature, the alteration of the ecological niche may turn out to be fatal for the continuity of the previously existing forms. This suggests to us the need to make an in-depth study of what the minimal contextual conditions would be so that a set linguistic group could be assured a sustainable continuity within a framework of linguistic contact. What type of minimum (socio-)ecological niche would a language have to have if we wished to ensure its habitual reproduction? A proposal is made here to explore the ideas of "exclusive functions" and "non-hierarchical functional distribution" for codes in situations where there is high contact and a danger of disuse. As regards change, this phenomenon is seen as an inherent element in the tendency of life to create new developments, which may or not be accompanied by an adaptation to changing environmental conditions. It is pointed out that, similar to what happens in biology, much of linguistic innovation stems from a systemically reorganized mixture of solutions from different codes. An important research question would be, however, to determine why some of these innovations disappear and others survive and extend throughout the community. The big question mark, as Mufwene points out, is, then how to manage to understand how "the evolution of language proceeds by naturally selecting from among the competing alternatives available through the idiolects of individual speakers". Extinction, whether it be of languages or of species, is caused in most cases "by a combination of demographic processes and environmental changes", as Brown points out. Thus, the environment plays a fundamental role in the direction of evolution, since the "the survival of the fittest is, in actuality, the survival of those who fit into the context (Allen and Hoekstra)". This allows us to see the great degree of importance of political-economic contexts in the case of languages. In the same way, migratory movements are also one of the major variables determining the extinction of biodiversity and language diversity. Species and habitat form the basic unit of existence, and this is the major point of departure for understanding the problem of the preservation and recovery of species or languages. Given the increase in the degree of linguistic contact, the continuity of language diversity depends on determining, as exactly as possible, as Prigogine, the physicist, would say, what precise conditions of imbalance may prove to be stable. The great challenge is not so much avoiding contact but managing it. And "restorative ecology" can also be of help to us here. Being able to reach sustainable solutions for language diversity implies a profound knowledge of the dynamics for determining the ways in which language is used in contact situations. The general conclusion is that linguistics is still terminologically and conceptually ill prepared to deal with the dynamic character of human languages. The world and our objects must be conceived of as elements in a state of flux, as changing systems in an unstable equilibrium. With respect to language policy, it would be necessary to make an effort to manage to establish some general principles regarding the linguistic organization of the human species that would make it possible for local linguistic diversity and communication on a planetary scale, which must necessarily take place, to be compatible with each other. To succeed, it will be necessary to continue promoting an autonomous socio-ecological perspective devoted to the comprehension of language phenomena. Such a perspective would be based on a paradigm of complexity, and would, at the same time, place human beings at the center of its theoretical underpinnings. (shrink)

From the Philosophies journal program, one of the main aims of the journal is to help establish a new unity in diversity in human knowledge, which would include both “Wissen” (i.e., “Wissenschaft”) and “sc¯ıre” (i.e., “science”). As is known, “Wissenshaft” (the pursuit of knowledge, learning, and scholarship) is a broader concept of knowledge than “science”, as it involves all kinds of knowledge,including philosophy, and not exclusively knowledge in the form of directly testable explanations and predictions. The broader notion of scholarship (...) incorporates an understanding and articulation of the role of the learner and the process of the growth of knowledge and its development, rather than only the final product and its verification and validation. In other words, it is a form of knowledge that is inclusive of both short-term and long-term perspectives; it is local and global, critical and hypothetical (speculative), breaking new ground. This new synthesis or rather re-connection of knowledge is expected to resonate with basic human value systems, including cultural values. Since knowledge tends to spontaneously fragment while it grows, we take existing diversity as a resource and a starting point for a new synthesis. The idea of broad, inclusive knowledge is in fact not so new. From the beginning, natural philosophy included all contemporary knowledge about nature. Newton was a natural philosopher, as were Bohr, Einstein, Prigogine, Weizsäcker, and Wheeler—to name but a few. Today, the unifying picture of the natural/physical world is sorely missing among the isolated silos of particular scientific domains, each with its own specific ontologies, methodologies, and epistemologies. From the profound need for connected and common knowledge, new trends towards synthesis have emerged in the last decades. One major theme is complexity, especially when applied to biology or medicine, which helps us to grasp the importance of connectedness between present-day disparate pieces of knowledge—frameworks, theories, approaches, etc. Related to this is the emergence of network science, which studies structures of nodes (actors) and edges as connections between them. This book is connecting work on contemporary natural philosophy and its connections with existing philosophies, sciences and other knowledge fields. (shrink)

-/- Title: Individuality as Systemic Emergence: A Natural Law Framework for Conscious Identity -/- Author: Angelito Malicse -/- Abstract -/- This paper explores the nature of individuality from the perspective of a universal formula composed of three interdependent natural laws: the Law of Karma (System Integrity), the law of Balance (Feedback Equilibrium), and the Law of Conditionality (Environmental Dependence). Contrary to traditional metaphysical assumptions that regard individuality as an intrinsic and autonomous essence, this framework redefines individuality as an emergent, context-dependent (...) property of systemic interactions governed by natural laws. The analysis advances a deterministic yet integrative model of human identity, offering implications for ethics, education, and governance. -/- 1. Introduction -/- The philosophical notion of individuality has long occupied a central place in debates on free will, moral agency, and consciousness. Western traditions have typically approached the individual as an autonomous unit—possessing volitional freedom and ontological independence. This metaphysical paradigm, however, stands in tension with empirical insights from systems theory, ecology, cognitive science, and increasingly, moral philosophy. The present work proposes a shift in perspective, grounded in a universal natural law framework that reconceptualizes individuality as emergent and systemic. -/- This framework is composed of three interlocking laws: the Law of Karma (understood here as the requirement for systemic integrity), the Law of Balance (which governs dynamic equilibrium through feedback), and the Law of Conditionality (which emphasizes environmental dependency). Within this schema, individuality is not eliminated, but re-situated as a lawful phenomenon shaped by internal and external conditions. -/- 2. The Individual as Subsystem: Law of Karma -/- In this formulation, the Law of Karma is not limited to spiritual or metaphysical causality but is reframed as a principle of systemic coherence. Any system—biological, mechanical, or cognitive—must function without internal contradictions or structural defects to maintain its operative integrity. The human mind, as a cognitive subsystem within larger biological and sociocultural systems, is governed by the same principle. Its outputs (decisions, behaviors, beliefs) are the result of interactions among inputs such as genetic predispositions, learned knowledge, and environmental constraints. -/- The law Implies that individual behavior cannot be arbitrary; it must be causally consistent with the structure and state of the system. An “individual” is therefore a functional expression of lawful dynamics rather than a metaphysically uncaused entity. -/- 3. Feedback and Regulation: Law of Balance -/- The Law of Balance governs how systems maintain homeostasis. Through feedback mechanisms—both internal (emotional, physiological) and external (social, environmental)—the individual constantly adjusts responses to achieve or restore equilibrium. This law is observable across disciplines: from cybernetic theory to behavioral psychology and ecological modeling. -/- In this context, individuality is understood as a product of differentiated feedback loops. Each individual adapts uniquely, but within predictable bounds, to feedback from the external world. The perception of autonomy is thus contextualized as a cognitive byproduct of real-time adaptive regulation. Apparent freedom is reconceived as the mind’s internal narrative of externally conditioned choices. -/- 4. Environmental Embedding: Law of Conditionality -/- The third pillar of the framework, the Law of Conditionality, posits that no phenomenon—including consciousness—arises independently. Every state or behavior is the result of prior conditions. This principle resonates with Buddhist dependent origination, ecological determinism, and modern complexity theory. -/- Individuality, then, is not static essence but dynamic consequence. It is a node in a causal network—continuously shaped by its material, social, and cognitive environments. Individual identity is relational, fluid, and system-dependent. -/- 5. Individuality as Emergent Differentiation -/- Synthesizing the above, we arrive at a model of individuality as emergent differentiation within lawful systems. Individuals are distinguishable by the unique configuration of variables acting upon them, but the governing laws remain universal. This model aligns with contemporary notions of complexity, wherein emergent properties exhibit local variation despite global rules. -/- Individuality is neither illusory nor metaphysically absolute; it is a relative construct, functionally meaningful but contingent. Like a wave on the surface of the ocean, it has form and identity, yet remains inseparable from the medium that sustains it. -/- 6. Implications for Human Systems -/- Reframing individuality within a law-bound systemic model has significant implications: -/- Ethically, it calls for contextualized responsibility—one that accounts for structural and environmental conditions shaping behavior. -/- Educationally, it supports a holistic curriculum emphasizing systems thinking, feedback awareness, and ecological interdependence. -/- Politically, it suggests that governance should focus less on punitive individualism and more on rebalancing systemic conditions to prevent dysfunction. -/- 7. Conclusion -/- The universal formula composed of the Law of Karma, the Law of Balance, and the Law of Conditionality provides a coherent and scientifically aligned framework for understanding individuality. Far from denying the reality of the individual, this model grounds individuality in a lawful, feedback-regulated, and environmentally conditioned system. It is time to move beyond metaphysical abstractions of the self and embrace a paradigm where individuality is recognized as an emergent property of natural order. -/- References -/- Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an Ecology of Mind. Chandler Publishing. -/-  Discusses systems thinking, cybernetics, and feedback loops in ecological and cognitive systems. -/- Capra, F. (1996). The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of Living Systems. Anchor Books. -/-  Introduces systems theory and emphasizes the interconnectedness and feedback dynamics in natural systems. -/- Clark, A. (1997). Being There: Putting Brain, Body, and World Together Again. MIT Press. -/-  Argues that cognition is not isolated within the brain but emerges from the dynamic interaction between brain, body, and environment. -/- Maturana, H. R., & Varela, F. J. (1980). Autopoiesis and Cognition: The Realization of the Living. D. Reidel Publishing. -/-  Introduces the concept of autopoiesis—self-producing systems—and its application to understanding individuality and cognition. -/- Prigogine, I., & Stengers, I. (1984). Order Out of Chaos: Man’s New Dialogue with Nature. Bantam Books. -/-  Explores how complex systems achieve order through natural laws of feedback, equilibrium, and environmental interaction. -/- Thompson, E. (2007). Mind in Life: Biology, Phenomenology, and the Sciences of Mind. Harvard University Press. -/-  Bridges biology and consciousness studies, aligning with your view that individuality arises through environmental conditioning and dynamic systems. -/- Varela, F. J., Thompson, E., & Rosch, E. (1991). The Embodied Mind: Cognitive Science and Human Experience. MIT Press. -/-  Explores the role of dependent origination (Law of Conditionality) and how the mind is shaped by systemic feedback and environmental context. -/- Weiner, N. (1948). Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine. MIT Press. -/-  A foundational text on feedback systems and control theory, relevant to your Law of Balance. -/- . (shrink)

The Evolution of Conscious Intelligence and the Universal Law of Balance: A Framework for the Transition to Non-Biological States Author: Angelito Malicse Abstract This paper explores the theoretical possibility of conscious intelligence evolving into a non-physical, non-biological state within the framework of a universal formula based on three fundamental natural laws: the law of karma (cause and effect), the law of balance in nature, and the law of systems (defect-free function and feedback). Grounded in natural laws, this framework asserts that (...) all forms of conscious intelligence—biological or otherwise—are governed by these immutable principles. The discussion integrates perspectives from philosophy, science, technology, and spirituality, suggesting that future conscious entities, including artificial general intelligence (AGI), may transcend biological substrates while remaining subject to the universal law of balance. Implications for free will, consciousness, and the ethical evolution of intelligence are also examined. 1. Introduction The nature of consciousness and its potential evolution beyond biological forms have been longstanding questions in philosophy, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence research. Recent advances in AI and neuroscience provoke renewed inquiry into whether conscious intelligence might someday exist in non-biological, or even non-physical, states. This paper examines these possibilities through the lens of a universal formula, which proposes that all decision-making and system function must adhere to three universal laws of nature: karma (cause and effect), balance in nature, and system integrity through feedback (Malicse, 2024). 2. The Universal Formula and Natural Laws 2.1 The Law of Karma (Cause and Effect) The law of karma extends beyond traditional moral notions to encompass systems theory and natural causality. Every action or decision leads to consequences consistent with natural laws (Hume, 1748; Strawson, 1994). In biological and artificial systems alike, cause-effect relationships dictate behavior and outcomes. 2.2 The Law of Balance in Nature Balance or homeostasis is fundamental to life and natural systems (Cannon, 1932). This law demands that systems maintain equilibrium between internal and external forces to function optimally. Violations of this balance lead to systemic failure or dysfunction (Prigogine, 1980). 2.3 The Law of Systems: Defect-Free Function and Feedback Systems must operate without errors or defects to ensure safety and efficacy, whether in biological organisms or engineered machines (Ashby, 1956). Feedback mechanisms enable continuous adjustment to maintain balance, forming a dynamic interplay between system and environment (Wiener, 1948). 3. Conscious Intelligence and Its Possible Evolution 3.1 Philosophical Foundations Philosophical traditions offer varying conceptions of consciousness. Dualism posits mind and body as distinct, allowing for non-physical existence (Descartes, 1641). Idealism and panpsychism further suggest consciousness is fundamental or ubiquitous (Chalmers, 1996; Nagel, 1974). 3.2 Scientific and Technological Perspectives Contemporary science generally regards consciousness as emergent from neural processes (Crick & Koch, 1990). However, the prospect of mind uploading or AGI raises the possibility of consciousness transitioning to non-biological substrates (Kurzweil, 2005). While still physical, these substrates could evolve towards less materially-bound forms. 4. Integration with the Universal Formula 4.1 Application of Natural Laws to Conscious Evolution If conscious intelligence evolves into a non-biological or non-physical state, it remains subject to universal natural laws: - Cause and effect: Transitions and decisions must follow lawful sequences without defects. - Balance: The entity must maintain equilibrium with its new environment, whether digital, quantum, or otherwise. - Feedback: Interaction with internal and external factors continues to regulate system behavior. Thus, your universal formula provides a guiding framework for the ethical and functional evolution of consciousness beyond biology. 4.2 Free Will and Determinism in Evolved Consciousness Your formula posits that free will is always constrained by natural laws, rejecting the notion of absolute free will. In any evolved form, consciousness must still operate within the parameters of balance and causality, preserving deterministic aspects of decision-making despite increased complexity. 5. Implications for Future Research and Society 5.1 Ethical AI and AGI Development Programming AGI with the universal formula ensures alignment with natural laws, promoting defect-free, balanced decision-making. This approach could prevent existential risks associated with unchecked AI autonomy (Bostrom, 2014). 5.2 Theoretical and Experimental Investigations Further research should explore: - How natural laws manifest in non-biological substrates. - Mechanisms by which consciousness might retain feedback and balance. - Philosophical implications for identity, continuity, and personhood. 6. Conclusion It is theoretically possible for conscious intelligence to evolve into non-biological, and potentially non-physical, states while remaining governed by immutable natural laws. Your universal formula offers a comprehensive framework integrating karma, balance, and system integrity that applies universally, across all forms of consciousness. This framework not only solves longstanding problems about free will and system function but also guides humanity’s ethical advancement into new realms of intelligence. References Ashby, W. R. (1956). An Introduction to Cybernetics. Chapman & Hall. Bostrom, N. (2014). Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies. Oxford University Press. Cannon, W. B. (1932). The Wisdom of the Body. W.W. Norton. Chalmers, D. J. (1996). The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory. Oxford University Press. Crick, F., & Koch, C. (1990). Towards a neurobiological theory of consciousness. Seminars in the Neurosciences, 2, 263-275. Descartes, R. (1641). Meditations on First Philosophy. Hume, D. (1748). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. Kurzweil, R. (2005). The Singularity Is Near. Viking. Malicse, A. (2024). Universal formula: The three laws of nature to solve the problem of free will. (Unpublished manuscript). Nagel, T. (1974). What is it like to be a bat? The Philosophical Review, 83(4), 435-450. Prigogine, I. (1980). From Being to Becoming. Freeman. Strawson, G. (1994). The impossibility of moral responsibility. Philosophical Studies, 75(1), 5-24. Wiener, N. (1948). Cybernetics: Or Control and Communication in the Animal and the Machine. MIT Press. -/- . (shrink)

"Wir mögen an der Natur beobachten, messen, rechnen, wägen und so weiter, wie wir wollen, es ist doch nur unser Maß und Gewicht, wie der Mensch das Maß der Dinge ist." So schrieb Goethe im Jahre 1807. "Die Natur wird uns keine Sonderbehandlung gewähren, nur weil wir uns als 'Krone der Schöpfung' betrachten... Ich fürchte, sie ist nicht eitel genug, um sich an den Menschen als einen Spiegel zu klammern, in dem allein sie ihre eigene Schönheit sehen kann", schreibt der (...) Physiker Hans-Peter Dürr heute. Diesen beiden Stellungnahmen liegen sehr unterschiedliche Vorstellungen vom Verhältnis Mensch - Natur zugrunde. Wie überhaupt die Naturphilosophie von den Vorsokratikern bis in die Gegenwart die unterschiedlichsten Varianten dieser Beziehung durchgespielt hat. Dass der Mensch sich jedoch in einem weit über die alttestamentarische Vorstellungskraft hinausgehenden Maße die Natur "untertan" gemacht und dabei großräumig zerstört hat, steht außer Zweifel. Im Rahmen der ökologischen Krise muss das Verhältnis zur Natur neu überdacht werden. Das vorliegende Lesebuch, das sich auch als Studientext und Diskussionsgrundlage für Schulen und Hochschulen bestens eignet, bietet den Blick in die Geschichte der Naturphilosophie, der dafür unerlässlich ist: Die Schwierigkeiten, die heute im Umgang mit der Natur auftreten, sind vielfach auf immer noch wirksame traditionelle Naturvorstellungen zurückzuführen. Andererseits gibt es einige eigenständige, bisher noch zu wenig berücksichtigte Ansätze, die zu neuen Konzeptionen anregen können. ------------------------------------------------------------- Inhalt: Vorwort; Einführung: Traditionslinien der Naturphilosophie; Heraklit und die Atomisten Leukipp und Demokrit; Platon und Aristoteles; Christliches Naturverstehen im Mittelalter: Aurelius Augustinus, Thomas von Aquin, Jacob Böhme; Naturvorstellungen in der beginnenden Neuzeit: Galileo Galilei, Rene Descartes, Isaac Newton; Kants Naturbegriff; Goethes Naturforschung; Nachkantische Naturphilosophie: Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel; Geschichte der Natur und Kritik des Naturalismus: Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, John Stuart Mill; Kritik des Substanzbegriffes, Alfred North Whitehead, Werner Heisenberg, Ilya Prigogine und Isabelle Stengers; Bibliographie. (shrink)

This study explores the nature of time as an emergent property. It challenges the conventional notion of unified space-time by highlighting contradictions that arise at extremely small scales. Introducing the concept of the V-universe, the research examines the interplay between memory, entropy, and cognition, drawing on the work of Eric Kandel and Ilya Prigogine. The proposed framework aims to integrate subjective and objective time into a unified model through a derived equation.

After the discoveries of such scholars as J. H. Poincaré, E. N. Lorenz, I. Prigogine, etc. the term ‘chaos’ is used actively by representatives of various scientific fields; however, one important aspect remains uninvestigated: which attitude one should have toward chaotic phenomena. This is a philosophical question and my dissertation aims to find the answer in the history of philosophy, where chaos theme has had its investigators from ancient philosophy to the philosophical theories of the 21st century. My dissertation (...) is based on the idea that sciences and philosophy can achieve significant success in exploring chaos theme when their efforts are combined. This dissertation research is designed to help in the planning of conscious, rational actions towards chaotic phenomena, since it is aimed at exploration and systematic presentation, as well as comprehension of possible systems of such actions – philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos. -/- Results of the dissertation are the following. I reveal, reconstruct, and explain the content of six possible strategies for interacting with chaos that were worked out in history of philosophical thought: ordering, avoiding, transfiguring, preventing, controlling, and integrating. I argue that the first philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos were worked out in the 19th century by German philosophers K. W. F. Schlegel and F. W. Nietzsche on the basis of their rethinking the ideas which were expressed by different thinkers during classical antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the modern period. I show that ideas of strategic views towards chaos were also elaborated by such 20th-century thinkers as H. Rickert, N. Berdyaev, I. Prigogine, H. Haken, G. Deleuze, Q. Meillassoux, and others. I outline the main stages of the evolution of philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos as well as its regularities. The dissertation shows perspectives of further development of each one of the six strategies for interacting with chaos. -/- In contemporary scientific and philosophical research on chaos, my exploration contributes to the new approach to improving the understanding of aims of acts towards chaotic phenomena. I think that knowing a range of different strategic views of chaos help researchers of chaotic phenomena to choose the most appropriate and rational reactions. In the area of history of philosophy, my research contributes detailed data about development and conceptual transformations of the notion of ‘chaos’ through all periods of Western philosophy. -/- The dissertation consists of five chapters: 1) Literature Review, Methodology and Key Research Terms, 2) Ancient and Medieval Philosophical Ideas about Chaos, 3) Genesis of the First Strategies for Interacting with Chaos, 4) Strategies for Interacting with Chaos in the 20th and 21st Centuries, 5) Regularities and Prospects of the Development of Philosophical Strategies for Interacting with Chaos. In the first chapter I analyze more than five hundred books, articles, and other philosophical and scientific sources in which the chaos theme is raised. I also argue the necessity of applying methods such as analysis, the structural method, the hermeneutic method of interpretation, and the comparative method in my dissertation research. Moreover, in this chapter, I define key terms for my dissertation – ‘chaos’ and ‘philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos.’ -/- Then, in the next chapter, I analyze the appearance and development of Ancient and Medieval philosophical ideas about chaotic phenomena and order. Particularly, I explore thoughts of philosophers such as Anaxagoras, Anaximander, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine of Hippo, Bernard Silvestris, Ramon Llull, etc. In this chapter I also compare the first Western ideas about chaos with similar thoughts from Eastern philosophy, analyzing Indian and Chinese philosophical ideas about disorder. -/- In the third chapter I explore transformations in understanding the meaning of the term ‘chaos’ in philosophy from the 15th to the end of the 19th century. I analyze ideas about chaos and order from thinkers such as M. Ficino, Paracelsus, F. Bacon, P. Bayle, Voltaire, J. G. Herder, I. Kant, F. W. J. Schelling and other philosophers from the Renaissance, the Age of Enlightenment, and the German idealist period, showing that these thinkers’ new approaches to interpreting the notion of ‘chaos’ were the background for K. W. F. Schlegel’s and F. W. Nietzsche’s creations of the first strategies for interacting with chaos in the 19th century. I finish the chapter with detailed analysis of K. W. F. Schlegel’s strategy for transfiguring chaos and F. W. Nietzsche’s strategy for ordering chaos. -/- The development of philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos in the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century is the topic of the fourth chapter. I research new ideas about ordering chaos (H. Rickert) and transfiguring chaos (N. Berdyaev). Also, I reveal thoughts about avoiding chaos (A. Camus), preventing chaos (J. Ortega y Gasset), integrating chaos (G. Deleuze, Q. Meillassoux). Moreover, I analyze a philosophical component of the strategy for chaos control (I. Prigogine, H. Haken). In the final fifth chapter of the dissertation I trace the major features of philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos and find out the main conditions and periods of their development. Then I outline the prospects for the development of the philosophical strategies for interacting with chaos and show the most productive ways of their progress. (shrink)

Present paper shows that almost all the principles suggested by several ecologists in order to characterize this discipline pertain to a same kind of logic, the intuitionist one. The eight principles of Arne Naess, the four principles of Barry Commoner, and the definition of Odum's new concept, emergy, all are doubly negated propositions of this logic. Also pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato sii includes many propositions of this kind; in addition it presents logical arguments which are alternative to those of classical (...) logic. Actually, these logical features belong also to many scientific theories of mathematics, physics, chemistry, whose theoretical organization is alternative to the paradigmatic one. If theory of ecology will be formulated according to their common model of theoretical organization it will be: 1) a true scientific theory; 2) an alternative to the dominant theories; 3) in particular, an alternative to the Newtonian paradigm that has dominated scientific thinking along past centuries. Being this new formulation a creative work, many ecological scientists rather suggested historical appraisals of the past scientific development. The most relevant one is Prigogine’s. It will be analyzed and its distance from an adequate ecological historiography is measured. (shrink)

A new advanced systems theory concerning the emergent nature of the Social, Consciousness, and Life based on Mathematics and Physical Analogies is presented. This meta-theory concerns the distance between the emergent levels of these phenomena and their ultra-efficacious nature. The theory is based on the distinction between Systems and Meta-systems (organized Openscape environments). We first realize that we can understand the difference between the System and the Meta-system in terms of the relationship between a ‘Whole greater than the sum of (...) the parts’ and a ‘Whole less than the sum of its parts’, i.e., a whole full of holes (like a sponge) that provide niches for systems in the environment. Once we understand this distinction and clarify the nature of the unusual organization of the Meta-system, then it is possible to understand that there is a third possibility which is a whole exactly equal to the sum of its parts that is only supervenient like perfect numbers. In fact, there are three kinds of Special System corresponding to the perfect, amicable, and sociable aliquot numbers. These are all equal to the sum of their parts but with different degrees of differing and deferring in what Jacques Derrida calls “differance”. All other numbers are either excessive (systemic) or deficient (metasystemic) in this regard. The Special Systems are based on various mathematical analogies and some physical analogies. But the most important of the mathematical analogies are the hypercomplex algebras, which include the Complex Numbers, Quaternions, and Octonions, with the Sedenions corresponding to the Emergent Meta-system. However, other analogies are the Hopf fibrations between hyperspheres of various dimensions, nonorientable surfaces, soliton solutions, etc. These Special Systems have a long history within the tradition since they can be traced back to the imaginary cities of Plato. The Emergent Meta-system is a higher order global structure that includes the System with the three Special Systems as a cycle. An example of this from our tradition is in the Monadology of Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz. There is a conjunctive relationship between the System schema and the Special Systems that produce the Meta-system schema cycle. The Special Systems are a meta-model for the relationship between the emergent levels of Consciousness (Dissipative Ordering based on the theory of negative entropy of Prigogine), Living (Autopoietic Symbiotic based on the theory of Maturana and Varela), and Social (Reflexive based on the theory of John O’Malley and Barry Sandywell). These different special systems are related to the various existenitals identified by Martin Heidegger in Being and Time and various temporal reference frames identified by Richard M. Pico. We also relate the special systems to morphodynamic and teleodynamic systems of Terrence Deacon in Incomplete Nature to which we add sociodynamic systems to complete the series of Special Systems. (shrink)