Being in Flux

This book explores a radical process ontology, challenging traditional views of objects and identity. Being in Flux engages with diverse philosophical debates.

Reality exists independently of human observers, but does its structure follow the same principle? Realist ontologies typically assert that the world is composed of objects that possess properties and engage in relations with one another, aligning with our conventional understanding. However, Being in Flux challenges this notion by introducing a radical process ontology that dismisses any singular perspective, scale, or cognitive capacity as the definitive judge of reality.

In this innovative framework, Rein Raud reinterprets what we consider to be objects as dynamic fields of constitutive tensions. These fields represent cross-sections of processes that are never entirely stable but are in a constant state of reconfiguration, striving for balance. Furthermore, the concept of the self is expanded beyond the confines of the mind, suggesting that it is a fluctuating field that permeates the body and interacts with the environment. This perspective emphasizes the ongoing competition among various elements of the process for dominance.

The need for such a process-oriented philosophy has been acknowledged, yet few have systematically developed it to address fundamental topics like identity, continuity, and causality. Throughout Being in Flux, Raud engages with a wide array of philosophical discussions, drawing from New Materialism, Object-Oriented Ontology, and feminist philosophy of science, among others. This book is a valuable resource for students and scholars in philosophy and the humanities, as well as anyone intrigued by contemporary debates surrounding realism and ontology.