Eventology vs Nomadology

From: jimruttshow8596

Alexander Bard, an author, lecturer, artist, songwriter, music producer, TV personality, and religious and political activist, discusses the concepts of eventology and nomadology, which form the central theme of his book “Process and Event,” co-authored with Jan Söderqvist [01:39:50]. This work delves into deep history, proposing that a fundamental division between East and West occurred during the Bronze Age [02:08:50].

Metaphysics as Narratology

Bard’s narratology-based metaphysics posits that human beings are fundamentally storytellers [05:48:00]. Metaphysics, in this framework, is defined as the ultimate form of storytelling about storytelling, or “meta-storytelling” [06:16:00]. This approach aims to understand the different types and purposes of stories humans tell about themselves and each other [06:22:00]. Human understanding of the world is shaped by three “brains”: the rational (Logos), the emotional (Pathos), and the mimetic (Mythos) [06:57:00].

Eventology: The Philosophy of Change

Eventology is the philosophical perspective that emphasizes change and the creation of something new [02:00:00].

• Origins: The concept of the event is traced back to Zarathustra (Zoroaster) in ancient Iran during the Bronze Age, who introduced the idea of humans as free agents capable of interacting with the world to create change for its own sake [02:51:00]. This distinguished Iranian culture from Indian culture, which remained focused on the process [02:23:00]. Christianity and Islam also adopted an event-centric view [02:57:00].
• Linear Time: Eventology is associated with linear time, where events happen and create a progression, implying that things never return to the same state [02:26:00]. This is sometimes referred to as “phallic linear time” [03:39:00]. This linear progression is exemplified by stories like the Exodus, where a goal is set in the future and pulled towards, representing an “exodus” from the old to the new, striving “higher” [04:06:00].
• Innovation and Meaning: The event perspective highlights human innovation and the capacity to create a “better world,” whether through technology or other means [03:04:00]. It suggests that meaning and purpose are created by humans themselves, rather than being inherently given [03:31:00].

Nomadology: The Philosophy of Repetition

Nomadology, in contrast, is a worldview characterized by cyclical nature and repetition [02:21:00].

• Origins: Rooted in early nomadic societies, nomadology assumes that everything returns to the same, with no dramatic progression or change [02:16:00]. This perspective was particularly prevalent in Indian philosophy, where the idea of the “process” was fundamental and attempts to escape it were seen as vain [02:44:00].
• Cyclical Time: Nomadology aligns with circular time, reflecting natural cycles like seasons (spring, summer, fall, winter) or life cycles (birth, life, death, rebirth) [02:25:00].
• Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence: Nietzsche’s concept of the eternal recurrence of the same is an important parallel in Western thought [02:59:00]. It suggests that the world is a constant repetition of the same, and change itself does not inherently carry meaning or purpose, challenging Hegelian notions of progress [02:55:00]. However, Nietzsche ultimately seeks to affirm the “event” within this repetition, finding affirmative possibilities for free agents [02:19:00].

Process and Event: A Dialectical Relationship

The core argument of “Process and Event” is that the world consists of both processes and events [02:40:00].

• Complementary Forces: Just as the Eastern tradition emphasized the process and the Western tradition the event, a complete metaphysics must contain both [02:45:00]. They represent repetition and differences, respectively [02:59:00].
• Historical Imbalances: Historically, the East became “stuck with the dominance of the nomadology,” leading to stagnation and economic decline that made them vulnerable to European conquest [02:57:00]. Conversely, the West, dominated by an event-only philosophy (like in Christianity and Islam), fell into the trap of endlessly repeating historical events, becoming stuck in a process despite their event-centric ideology [03:00:00].
• The Human Condition: The human condition involves navigating the dialectical relationship between process and event. Humans can choose to engage with the world as free, interactive agents to create change [02:37:00]. A mature philosophy of time should account for both objective (hyper time, space-time) and subjective (circular/linear) interpretations [03:05:00].

Transcendental Emergentism

Bard’s metaphysics is called transcendental emergentism [04:20:00]. This framework seeks to avoid reductionism (e.g., reducing everything to atoms or consciousness) [04:31:00]. Instead, it starts from the premise that “happenings” and “emergences” are fundamental to existence [04:54:00].

• Emergence Vectors: The universe consists of “emergence vectors” [05:02:00]. These are new phenomena that arise and then behave according to their own principles or “laws.” Examples include the emergence of biology on Earth, distinct from physics, or the evolution of matter through stellar processes [05:14:00]. Each emergence is unique [05:16:00].
• Local Teleology: While there is no global teleology for the universe as a whole, local teleology is permissible within constrained systems [03:10:00]. This allows for the idea of purpose and progress within specific emergent domains, such as human innovation to “create a better world” [03:04:00].

Societal Implications and the Barred Absolute

The concepts of eventology and nomadology extend to the functioning of societies and human interaction.

• The Socius and Scaling: Humans are fundamentally social creatures, and the socion (or saucett) is a natural, evolutionarily developed social unit, found in all Homo sapiens populations, typically ranging from 150 (clan) to 1500 (tribe) individuals [09:09:00]. Within this socion size, loyalty and social cohesion are strong enough that external controls like a police force are often unnecessary [10:51:00]. The philosophical challenge arises when attempting to scale the socion to larger populations (nations, cities, empires), which require police, law and order, and military forces [13:06:00].
• The Dividal vs. Individual: Given humans’ social nature, the concept of the “dividual” (from Deleuze and Guattari) is preferred over the Cartesian “individual” [14:17:17]. The dividual acknowledges that humans are plural and constantly changing, engaging with different social spheres [16:16:00]. This challenges the false dichotomy between individualism and collectivism [18:09:00].
• The Barred Absolute: The “barred absolute” (BARD absolute) [01:19:39], derived from Lacan’s “barred subject,” refers to areas of reality that are inaccessible or unknowable to an individual, often due to their own subjectivity or lack of preparedness [01:20:02]. For example, children are barred from certain content (like pornography) for their own protection [01:23:02]. This concept suggests that not all truths are universally accessible or immediately comprehensible to everyone, and attempting to force a Mythos as absolute truth can lead to significant problems [01:10:11].
• Membranes and Coherent Pluralism: Membranics is the philosophical discipline for understanding how systems intelligently isolate themselves from the outside world via semi-permeable membranes [01:36:08]. These membranes allow for internal differentiation while regulating interaction with the exterior. This concept can be applied to societal structures, where distinct socions or Game B communities can establish their own strong internal “sauce” or rules, without necessarily imposing them on others. This fosters a “coherent pluralism” where diverse ways of living coexist within a decentralized framework [01:43:00]. The socion operating system allows for defeating “big men” (tyrants or “boy pharaohs”) [01:54:57], ensuring decentralization and preventing large-scale tyranny [01:50:51].