- A fourth possible bridge for suggesting similarities and allowing mutual flows is a rather dramatic initiative. It is the suggestion of a new philosophy based on the recent advances in the systems sciences. Please forgive the terribly awkward neologism of the title. It literally means “towards lasting patterns” (“ad” L. = toward; “dura” L. = durable or lasting; “normus” L. = patterns). It was first written about in the seventies. This philosophy is based on the recognition of the limits of human understanding emphasized across all entries of this website. In this way it is firmly rooted in the secular while highlighting the limits of the secular. But since it is a philosophy that aims to detect values, it has simultaneously has roots in the sacred. [55F/W’13]
- In this philosophy there are no axioms or tenets that are inflexibly or unalterably dogmatic. The patterns are continuously sought and improved as we humbly recognize that human capacity for understanding expands from a very backward to more advanced states. There is an expected evolution of understanding. Even if a greater intelligence reveals something to us; it is usually not well understood, implemented, or inculcated. So humans must humbly work at understanding. This is the “Toward” aspect of the neologism. It is always reformulating itself like science does. [56F/W’13]
- In this philosophy there is a constant seeking for “universals” “integrators” “synthesis” by comparing the many aspects of different domains of the secular. So one of its foremost tenets is that there are patterns that can been discovered, recognized, proven by evidence in the secular world. But the patterns sought are not only constant across particular phenomena, they are constant across all scales of reality, so their constancy is at a “meta-” level from physicality and can be seen only when accurate abstraction from the particulars is accomplished. This requires a deep knowledge of the particulars as may be provided by the natural sciences. But it goes far beyond any one of the natural sciences or their phenomena. This is the “lasting patterns” aspect of the philosophy. “Lasting” because they exist at all times of cosmological evolution from the first times 14 billion years ago to today. “Patterns” because the processes or structures or mediators are constant across all that time even to the little understood quantum times. [57F/W’13]
- This system of thought then is much more like science than classical theology but also has a distinct “values” component as the “lasting patterns” are suggestive of values. Any system that has ever been successful at existing and persisting has these patterns. Any system we humans then would hope to form perhaps should emulate these “value patterns” whether individual, family, tribe, nation or civilization and certainly the laws, legislation and public policy that creates them. Thus anduranormism has aspects of the secular AND the sacred within itself, such that is might be able to anchor in both, and bridge the gaps between both. [58F/W’13]
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