From: jimruttshow8596
Forrest Landry’s immanent philosophy distinguishes between “interaction” and “relation,” two fundamental concepts that underpin his understanding of the universe and how knowledge is acquired [00:01:03]. This distinction clarifies the nature of causality, knowledge, and even the universe itself [00:41:44].
Defining Relation
A “relation” is described as atemporal, meaning it has no temporal element [00:31:00]. Mathematics is presented as the study of pure relationship [00:31:46]. If a mathematical proof is true, it “has always been true before I even knew that and it will remain true forevermore” [00:31:13] (assuming no error in the proof) [00:31:20]. Mathematical structures do not require a concept of time for their conception [00:31:38].
Defining Interaction
In contrast, “interaction” inherently possesses a temporal element [00:31:50]. It involves a “before” and “after” state, characteristic of processes like scientific experiments [00:32:00]. Interaction signifies the moment when information is effectively flowing from the objective to the subjective [00:32:16] [00:32:22]. This concept implies:
- Temporality [00:32:46].
- Flow of information [00:32:48].
- The existence of other possibilities [00:32:55].
- Forces in time and probabilities over possibilities [00:33:06].
These concepts allow for the construction of theories such as information theory, communication theory, measurement theory, signaling theory, and ideas of causation [00:33:11].
The Role of the Observer in Interaction
The concept of an observer is implied in the notion of interaction [00:34:46]. When one attempts to imagine “something,” the imaginer (observer) is inherently involved in the act of imagination [00:34:43]. For Landry, the process of knowing is more fundamental than the being of the objective or subjective [00:35:20]. To establish if something exists, an interaction is required [00:37:37]. This means that interaction is, in some sense, more fundamental than the notion of existence [00:40:28] and even more fundamental than the notion of creation [00:40:39].
Interaction as a Fundamental Concept of the Universe
The universe can be understood as a concept that points to three other concepts: creation, existence, and interaction [00:40:58]. Perfected knowledge of these three topics would yield perfected knowledge of the universe, as anything asserted about the universe is a subset or combination of knowledge about these three [00:41:28].
On a conceptual level, to know anything about the nature of existence, one must depend upon the nature of interaction [00:41:56]. Therefore, the “real” is reconciled in terms of the interaction rather than in terms of the things that are interacting [00:42:24].
Connection to Process
Interaction can be conceived as being analogous to the “atomic constituents” of process [01:18:16]. The notion of interaction is treated as directly isomorphic with the notion of process [01:18:22]. The component parts of interaction, while necessary and sufficient, cannot be “unsplitable” like quarks [01:18:45] [01:18:57].
The concept of process can be understood in terms of:
- Patterns in space [01:19:10].
- Force and time [00:33:06].
- Probability and possibility [00:33:08].
Another way to understand process is through the lens of comparison, which involves subject, object, sameness, difference, content and context [01:19:33]. Regardless of how process is considered, these six sub-components are necessary and sufficient to reify the concept of process, interaction, or comparison [01:19:44] [01:20:02].