Process and Reality
Encyclopedia
In philosophy
, especially metaphysics
, the book Process and Reality by Alfred North Whitehead
sets out its author's philosophy of organism
, also called process philosophy
. The book, published in 1929, is a revision of the Gifford Lectures
he gave in 1927-28.
Process philosophy lays the groundwork for a paradigm
of subjectivity
, which Whitehead calls a "completed metaphysical language." (p. 18)
A signal technical feature of Process and Reality is the way its ontology
is grounded in mereotopology
, a mathematical formalism combining mereological
and topological
notions.
and Donald W. Sherburne, Free Press. ISBN 0-02-934570-7 (Part V. Final Interpretation)
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, especially metaphysics
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
, the book Process and Reality by Alfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead
Alfred North Whitehead, OM FRS was an English mathematician who became a philosopher. He wrote on algebra, logic, foundations of mathematics, philosophy of science, physics, metaphysics, and education...
sets out its author's philosophy of organism
Philosophy of Organism
Philosophy of Organism or Organic Realism is how Alfred North Whitehead described his metaphysics. It is now known as process philosophy....
, also called process philosophy
Process philosophy
Process philosophy identifies metaphysical reality with change and dynamism. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, philosophers have posited true reality as "timeless", based on permanent substances, whilst processes are denied or subordinated to timeless substances...
. The book, published in 1929, is a revision of the Gifford Lectures
Gifford Lectures
The Gifford Lectures were established by the will of Adam Lord Gifford . They were established to "promote and diffuse the study of Natural Theology in the widest sense of the term — in other words, the knowledge of God." The term natural theology as used by Gifford means theology supported...
he gave in 1927-28.
Process philosophy lays the groundwork for a paradigm
Paradigm
The word paradigm has been used in science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" , "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" , "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" , "beside, beyond" + "δείκνυμι" , "to show, to point out".The original Greek...
of subjectivity
Subjectivity
Subjectivity refers to the subject and his or her perspective, feelings, beliefs, and desires. In philosophy, the term is usually contrasted with objectivity.-Qualia:...
, which Whitehead calls a "completed metaphysical language." (p. 18)
A signal technical feature of Process and Reality is the way its ontology
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
is grounded in mereotopology
Mereotopology
In formal ontology, a branch of metaphysics, and in ontological computer science, mereotopology is a first-order theory, embodying mereological and topological concepts, of the relations among wholes, parts, parts of parts, and the boundaries between parts....
, a mathematical formalism combining mereological
Mereology
In philosophy and mathematical logic, mereology treats parts and the wholes they form...
and topological
Topology
Topology is a major area of mathematics concerned with properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, such as deformations that involve stretching, but no tearing or gluing...
notions.
See also
- Alfred North WhiteheadAlfred North WhiteheadAlfred North Whitehead, OM FRS was an English mathematician who became a philosopher. He wrote on algebra, logic, foundations of mathematics, philosophy of science, physics, metaphysics, and education...
- MereotopologyMereotopologyIn formal ontology, a branch of metaphysics, and in ontological computer science, mereotopology is a first-order theory, embodying mereological and topological concepts, of the relations among wholes, parts, parts of parts, and the boundaries between parts....
- Philosophy of OrganismPhilosophy of OrganismPhilosophy of Organism or Organic Realism is how Alfred North Whitehead described his metaphysics. It is now known as process philosophy....
- Process philosophyProcess philosophyProcess philosophy identifies metaphysical reality with change and dynamism. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, philosophers have posited true reality as "timeless", based on permanent substances, whilst processes are denied or subordinated to timeless substances...
- Whitehead's point-free geometryWhitehead's point-free geometryIn mathematics, point-free geometry is a geometry whose primitive ontological notion is region rather than point. Two axiomatic systems are set out below, one grounded in mereology, the other in mereotopology and known as connection theory...
Publication data
Process and Reality: An Essay in Cosmology (1929). 1979 corrected edition, edited by David Ray GriffinDavid Ray Griffin
David Ray Griffin is a retired American professor of philosophy of religion and theology. Along with John B. Cobb, Jr., he founded the Center for Process Studies in 1973, a research center of Claremont School of Theology which seeks to promote the common good by means of the relational approach...
and Donald W. Sherburne, Free Press. ISBN 0-02-934570-7 (Part V. Final Interpretation)
Secondary literature
- Biacino L., and Gerla G., 1991, "Connection structures," Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic 32: 242-247.
- Clarke, Bowman, 1981, "A calculus of individuals based on 'connection'," Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic 22: 204-18.
- ------, 1985, "Individuals and Points," Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic 26: 61-75.
- Cobb, John Boswell, Jr., Whitehead Word Book, Claremont, P&F Press, 2008.
- Lowe, Victor, 1962. Understanding Whitehead. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press.
- Nicholas RescherNicholas RescherNicholas Rescher is an American philosopher at the University of Pittsburgh. In a productive research career extending over six decades, Rescher has established himself as a systematic philosopher of the old style and author of a system of pragmatic idealism which weaves together threads of...
, 2000. Process Philosophy: A Survey of Basic issues. Univ. of Pittsburgh Press. - Sherburne, Donald W., 1966. A Key to Whitehead's Process and Reality. Macmillan.
- Simons, Peter, 1987. Parts. Oxford Univ. Press.
- Weber, Michel, Whitehead’s Pancreativism. The Basics. Foreword by Nicholas Rescher, Frankfurt / Paris, ontos verlag, 2006.
- Weber, Michel and Will Desmond (eds.), Handbook of Whiteheadian Process Thought, Frankfurt / Lancaster, ontos verlag, 2008.
- Van Wyk, Alan and Michel Weber (eds.), Creativity and Its Discontents. The Response to Whitehead's Process and Reality, Frankfurt / Lancaster, ontos verlag, 2009.
External links
- Internet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyInternet Encyclopedia of PhilosophyThe Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a free online encyclopedia on philosophical topics and philosophers founded by James Fieser in 1995. The current general editors are James Fieser and Bradley Dowden...
: "Process Philosophy" -- by J. R. Hustwit. - Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyStanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyThe Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a freely-accessible online encyclopedia of philosophy maintained by Stanford University. Each entry is written and maintained by an expert in the field, including professors from over 65 academic institutions worldwide...
: "Process Philosophy" -- by Nicholas RescherNicholas RescherNicholas Rescher is an American philosopher at the University of Pittsburgh. In a productive research career extending over six decades, Rescher has established himself as a systematic philosopher of the old style and author of a system of pragmatic idealism which weaves together threads of...
. - M. Weber:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Weber_(philosopher)