Abstract:

This article develops a structural–analogical framework to investigate conceptual resonances between Qur’an 24:35—the Verse of Light—and contemporary relational models in physics, while maintaining firm epistemic boundaries between theology, philosophy, and empirical science. The Qur’anic metaphors of niche, glass, tree, oil, and layered light depict a graded ontology of manifestation in which being unfolds through ordered relations grounded in a transcendent divine command (amr). By contrast, modern physics—as represented by quantum field theory, loop quantum gravity, and cosmological models—operates entirely within immanent causality, conceiving spacetime and matter as relational, dynamic, and structurally emergent. Despite their distinct registers, both discourses converge structurally around a shared grammar of potentiality, relation, and manifestation. Drawing on classical Islamic metaphysics—especially al-Ghazālī’s Mishkāt al-Anwār—alongside contemporary relational ontologies in physics (Smolin, Rovelli, Markopoulou), the article argues that “real time” functions as an ontological choice that conditions intelligibility, agency, and novelty. The Qur’anic notion of nūr is interpreted not as physical luminosity but as the metaphysical ground of determinability, while the quantum vacuum is treated as a field of latent potential—without suggesting empirical equivalence. Rather than concordism, the comparison highlights a structural resonance: both traditions affirm that reality is neither static nor substance-based, but arises through dynamic relational processes grounded—whether transcendently or immanently—in principled order.

Abstract:

This article reconceptualizes entropy not as a metaphysical substance but as a structural constraint that shapes the formation, energetic cost, and durability of records. It links the coarse-grained—and typically irreversible—flow of time to questions of moral responsibility and divine justice. Drawing on the second law of thermodynamics, information theory, and contemporary cosmology, it advances an analogical and operational framework in which actions are accountable because they leave energetically costly traces that resist erasure. Within a Qurʾānic metaphysical horizon, concepts such as kitāb (Book), ṣaḥīfa (Record), and tawba (Repentance) function as structural counterparts to informational inscription and revision, without reducing theological meaning to physical process. In contrast to Kantian ethics, which grounds moral law in rational autonomy, the Qurʾān situates responsibility within the irreversible structure of time. Understood in this way, entropy is not a threat to coherence but a condition for accountability. By placing the Qurʾānic vision in dialogue with modern science and theology, the article contributes to broader discussions on justice, agency, and the metaphysics of time within the science–religion discourse.

Abstract: Classical Platonism posits a transcendent realm of ideal Forms, but this metaphysical stance is difficult to reconcile with naturalistic accounts of knowledge and cognition. At the same time, cognitive science and biology increasingly rely on abstract structures, such as internal models, morphological constraints, and predictive priors, to explain behavior and organization. This paper proposes a naturalized reinterpretation of Platonism, grounded in the idea that form functions not as a static blueprint but as a constraint within generative processes. Drawing from process philosophy, computational neuroscience, and developmental biology, it introduces the framework of Cognitive Platonism/Platonic Cognition: the view that abstract structure is real insofar as it organizes system dynamics as process of becoming. Forms are not external templates but emergent patterns encoded in systems memory, inference, and interaction. They shape perception, morphogenesis, and agency by narrowing the space of viable trajectories, offering a principled solution to the problem of form within a naturalistic worldview.

Abstract: This paper undertakes an ontological remapping of the philosophy of mind in light of the theory of enactive inference. We argue that David Chalmers' famous "Hard Problem" of consciousness is not an isolated puzzle awaiting resolution, but rather the symptom of a deeper, flawed premise: the stubborn persistence of a substance ontology and classical binary logic in our thinking. By drawing on the historical "Jacobi Dilemma," we demonstrate that any attempt to grasp consciousness as an isolated property inevitably leads into logical dead-ends. As an alternative, we develop a "Processual Perspectivism" (Leidig, 2025). By integrating current neurobiological findings on criticality (Tucker et al., 2025) and the thermodynamics of living systems (Non-Equilibrium Steady States, NESS), we demonstrate that consciousness is not an additional ingredient but must be understood as the intrinsic, affectively regulated control structure of autopoietic processes. It is not the puzzle, but the very solution to the problem of life itself.

Abstract: This paper examines structural differences between human creative workflows and generative AI music systems by synthesizing observations from prior work in creative cognition, AI ethics, and platform studies. The comparison focuses on variations in process visibility, transparency, and production scale, which may influence how authorship, provenance, and cultural value are interpreted in digital music environments. The analysis does not assess aesthetic quality or propose new theoretical constructs. Instead, it summarizes descriptive patterns identified across existing literature. The findings suggest that high-volume generative output, combined with limited process transparency, may resemble dynamics described in prior information-asymmetry research, though the correspondence is not definitive. The study aims to provide reference points for understanding how generative tools operate alongside human creative practices and how these structural characteristics may inform future discussions about digital creative ecosystems.

Abstract: Abstract: The introduction of the special and general theory of relativity had significant implications for the notion of time, especially the relativity of clock time. Many physicists and philosophers concluded that the theory also showed that time was unreal and that the universe was a four-dimensional block universe. The argument focussed on particular aspects of the theory – relative simultaneity and general covariance, respectively– to arrive at this conclusion. But while it is true that views about time can be inferred from the theory of relativity, the unreality of time is not a deductive consequence of the theory. It is therefore possible to ask whether the theory is compatible with the reality of time. If invariant features of the theory are taken into account, - the space-time interval ds and entropic relations - as will be argued in this paper, a dynamic notion of time emerges as a philosophical consequence of the theory of relativity. This paper defends a Heraclitean, dynamic view, against the predominant Parmenidean, static view of time.

Abstract: The classical taxonomy of Western scientific styles introduced by Crombie and reinterpreted by Hacking has framed how historians and philosophers understand the plurality of scientific reasoning. Yet contemporary scientific practice has expanded beyond the six established styles, revealing new ways of generating truth, constructing objects and defining evidence. We argue that two emerging modes of inquiry qualify as additional styles within the Crombie–Hacking framework. The first is the data-intensive style, whose knowledge production relies on large datasets, algorithmic extraction of patterns and high-dimensional stability rather than explicit theories or controlled experiments. It creates new scientific objects such as embeddings, latent structures and predictive signatures. Still, it introduces its own epistemic norms grounded in robustness, cross-validation and scale. The second emerging mode is the network-relational style, which treats relations rather than intrinsic properties as the basis of explanation. It creates objects such as motifs, connectomes, influence pathways and multilayer networks. Still, it establishes truth through structural coherence and relational stability across independent observations. Both modes satisfy Hacking’s criteria for a scientific style: they generate new questions, create new ontological domains, authenticate themselves through internal standards and support statements that were previously impossible. By comparing these two styles with the classical six, we argue that the Crombie–Hacking taxonomy requires expansion to capture the epistemic transformations of contemporary science. The result is a more inclusive and pluralistic account of scientific rationality that reflects the current practices in biology, neuroscience, physics, epidemiology and data science.

Abstract: This article compares al-Ghazālī’s theological model of discrete, divinely renewed instants (ānāt, tajdīd al-khalq) with Lee Smolin’s law-evolving relational physics to examine the ontological reality of time. Across distinct metaphysical grounds—volitional on one side, naturalistic on the other—both frameworks reject timeless determinism and relocate order inside time. Using a non-reductive, formally analogical method, I map four axes: discreteness/succession, openness of the future, the status of laws (habit vs. historical stabilization), and directionality (chosen renewal vs. precedence/path-dependence). The comparative upshot is a thesis of “real time as ontological decision”: temporality is constituted by selection among possibilities rather than entailed by necessity. Historiographical implications follow. If regularities reflect ʿādātullāh or evolving laws, then historical explanation should privilege contingency and agency; the stability of evidence is an achievement of temporally structured record-regimes rather than a timeless given. I specify principal disanalogies to avoid overreach (volitional vs. immanent grounds; theological vs. naturalistic orientation) and outline a live dilemma for naturalism: a selection principle is still needed to explain directed becoming among equipossible futures. The result is a history-facing ontological account that bridges theology and physics while clarifying stakes for philosophy of history and the history of knowledge.

Abstract: This paper, which identifies nine paradoxes particular to popular culture in a digital society, begins by distinguishing art and culture, since scholars have historically relied on these terms to differentiate popular culture, mass culture, and mass art. Digital societies, which exist both online and offline, are awash in digital products such as LED signs, digital imagery, video games, film, podcasts, and social media. In a digital society, popular culture is effectively “mass art,” which exhibits five properties: 1) digital media’s low-cost products and low-skill tools are 2) created and distributed to appeal to as broad a cultural sector as possible (qualitative) and thus aim to 3) attract consumers (quantitative) who capably enjoy and deploy cultural content both 4) offline and online, yet “popularity” ultimately depends on 5) efforts to maximize unity and minimize fragmentation. Although popular culture is largely a thing of the past, mass art as we know it will flourish until human beings go extinct. The next frontier will be finding ways to prevent artificial intelligence from producing cultural products, not because they will be terrible, undesirable, or fake, but because the culture-making process engenders human wellbeing.

Abstract: This article proposes a multidimensional theory of ethical values as a foundational framework for achieving and maintaining sustainable ecological balance. Drawing inspiration from Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it posits that human existence integrates both biological and cultural dimensions, necessitating an ethical approach that transcends singular normative sources. The current environmental crisis underscores the inadequacy of fragmented ethical perspectives, often rooted in anthropocentric, duty-bound, or religiously exclusive frameworks. We argue that a robust theory of ecological ethics must encompass a spectrum of values derived from diverse sources—including biocentric principles, social responsibilities, spiritual insights, and intrinsic natural worth—to foster universal agreement and collaborative action. This multidimensional approach not only addresses the complex interplay between human consumption, ecological capacity, and intergenerational equity but also provides a more resilient and universally applicable foundation for guiding individual and societal behaviors towards restorative rather than exploitative interactions with the natural world. By moving beyond exclusionary ethical debates, this theory aims to empower stakeholders with a shared, comprehensive value system conducive to long-term ecological flourishing and human well-being.

Abstract: This essay develops a post-Bohmian framework for understanding reality as an informational and computational ontology rather than a material substrate. Building on David Bohm’s implicate order, it proposes that consciousness functions as the active rendering mechanism of reality—transforming quantum potential into phenomenological form through observation and interaction. Integrating insights from quantum mechanics, neuroscience, and systems theory, the text argues that perception operates as an adaptive interface, not as a transparent window to an external world. The concept of computational efficiency is introduced to reinterpret physical constraints—such as the speed of light and quantum indeterminacy—as expressions of systemic optimization within a larger simulation-like architecture. Further, the essay explores how biological systems act as distributed rendering nodes that stabilize reality through coherent interpretation, and how altered states of consciousness reveal the underlying informational substrate by temporarily bypassing perceptual filters. Ethically, the work redefines human responsibility: consciousness is not a passive byproduct of the universe, but its active co-creator. The act of perception is thus both epistemic and ontological—a process through which the universe continuously updates itself. This post-Bohmian synthesis aims to reconcile the experiential, physical, and informational dimensions of existence under a unified paradigm of conscious computation.

Abstract: This paper advances a new epistemic transcendental argument (ETA) against determinism. I argue that determinism entails a higher degree of epistemic risk than libertarianism. To make this claim precise, I formalize risk through a metric space W and represent two theories of epistemic risk as alternative metrics, D and N. By exploring the concepts of modal closeness and normalcy, I show that these metrics are superior to traditional conceptions in accounting for intuitions about risk and ensuring objective assessment. Given some additional assumptions about knowledge and the past, I construct an ETA grounded in epistemic risk aversion: under determinism, all possible worlds count as modally close and normal, making many beliefs epistemically risky. This proposal departs from the Epicurean tradition and opens a new route against determinism.

Abstract: Traditional cosmological arguments are often thought to rely fatally on the Principle of Sufficient Reason. This paper develops a contingency argument that does not. To analyse certain metalinguistic statements, I employ a two-sorted first-order logic supplemented with axioms and predicates mirroring features of the QKB modal system. Within this framework, I formulate four axioms, each shown to be consistent and independent both from one another and from the PSR. I provide philosophical justification for each axiom and outline how, taken together, they entail the existence of a necessary entity.

Abstract:

This manuscript provides a naturalistic foundation for a Philosophy of Enactive Inference and, on this basis, argues for a multi-perspectival monism. Starting from the thesis that the spatiotemporal dynamics of brain activity function as a "common currency" for neuronal and mental processes, the paper develops a multi-layered synthesis of the theories of Northoff, Buonomano, Friston, and Carhart-Harris. This model is crucially extended by integrating recent work on the affective and homeostatic regulation of predictive processing. It is demonstrated how the dynamic balance of two limbic memory systems (E/I balance) realizes the formal "precision weighting" of the predictive brain as lived affect (confidence vs. anxiety). Furthermore, the sleep cycle is identified as the homeostatic mechanism that recalibrates the brain's spatiotemporal architecture daily through the oscillation between sub- and super-critical states. The neurodynamic architecture thus described provides a concrete example of multi-perspectival monism: a single, psycho-physical process accessible from both the third-person perspective (E/I balance, criticality) and the first-person perspective (affect, consciousness), thereby forming the naturalistic basis for a non-reductive, processual ontology of the mind.

Abstract: Humans leverage knowledge to solve problems, and so do embedded systems like programmable machines, robots, and digital twins. Consequently, understanding critical aspects of knowledge, that is, its type, nature, formation, application, and refinement, is not just essential, but also beneficial for advancing both human-centric and machine-centric systems. However, the notion of knowledge is continuously evolving as new examples and counterexamples emerge, adding layers of complexity to its understanding. In addition, knowledge-centric entities such as truth, belief, justification, data, probability, possibility, uncertainty, learning, and knowing create a rich and intricate ecosystem. By understanding these, we can unlock the practical benefits of knowledge in our systems. From this perspective, this article delves into the conceptual foundations of knowledge scattered across various disciplines, including philosophy, science, language, education, and artificial intelligence. By doing so, it aims to provide a cohesive framework for researchers and practitioners from diverse fields to identify vital issues before creating human- and machine-centric systems. The exploration begins with the theories of knowledge articulated by Hume and Kant, then transitions to a pragmatist viewpoint. It also investigates the principles of knowledge as articulated within the philosophy of science and language. Furthermore, the article reviews how knowledge is framed by diverse educational theories. Finally, it presents the foundations of digital knowledge, the cornerstone of artificial intelligence, focusing on propositional logic, modal logic, multi-valued (fuzzy) logic, and machine learning. This comprehensive examination, invites all system developers to gain insights into the underlying principles governing human reasoning, interpretation, and learning, empowering them to design artificially intelligent systems that align with these fundamental principles.

Abstract: Time is the erotic unfolding and re-folding of the universe. This paper presents a metaphysical framework grounded in evolutionary panpsychism and process-relational philosophy that addresses fundamental questions in consciousness studies through a novel synthesis of Whiteheadian metaphysics, Hunt and Schooler’s General Resonance Theory, and electromagnetic field approaches to consciousness. Rather than treating consciousness as an emergent byproduct of material complexity or as a reflection of pre-existing perfection, we propose that consciousness manifests through what we term eros—not as a kind of cosmic desire per se but as the fundamental attractive quality inherent in every constituent of reality, from quantum events to complex conscious beings. Drawing on contemporary developments in process thought, resonance-based theories of consciousness, and electromagnetic field theories of mind, this framework outlines a vision of a participatory cosmos where consciousness, temporality, and materiality co-emerge through relational dynamics driven by the fundamental attractive-repulsive polarity present in all actual entities. This approach contrasts with both reductionist materialism and top-down cosmopsychist models by proposing a metaphysics of immanent becoming that locates the source of cosmic creativity, including biological evolution, in the basic constituents of reality rather than in either mechanistic emergence or transcendent consciousness. In this new “physics of love” temporal flow represents the rhythm through which fundamental attractive forces actualize themselves in novel forms, electromagnetic resonance provides the architecture of life and relational consciousness, and the universe evolves toward increasingly rich forms of consciousness.

Abstract: Under the digital wave, the deep intertwining of capitalist logic and sign-value has spawned a dual alienation in the consumer era: new forms such as the "sign cocoon" constructed by algorithmic recommendations and the "frictionless consumption" of digital payments create a closed loop between consumption alienation (capital manipulating individuals through signs) and mental alienation (individuals actively accommodating alienation due to "ego-attachment" – ātma-grāha). Individuals become mired in identity anxiety and spiritual emptiness. A single theoretical perspective struggles to fully parse this complex dilemma: While Marxist alienation theory profoundly reveals how capitalist logic shapes social structures, it insufficiently explains the psychological mechanism of individuals' active participation in alienation. Zen wisdom of "breaking attachments" (po zhi) can see through the illusions of "attachment to self" (ren wo zhi, pudgala-ātma-grāha) and "attachment to dharmas" (fa wo zhi, dharma-ātma-grāha), but struggles to address the social structural roots of alienation. This study employs interdisciplinary dialogue, placing Marxist alienation theory (focusing on social structure critique and historical change) and Zen thought (emphasizing individual mental awakening and inner transcendence) within the same analytical framework. It reveals their complementarity in critical targets (resolving alienation) and paths to liberation (external transformation and internal awakening): The sign domination shaped by capitalist logic requires breaking external shackles through social structural change (e.g., regulating capital operation, constructing a reasonable market order). Meanwhile, the materialistic delusions bred from "ego-attachment" require achieving inner clarity through "mindful consumption" (zheng nian xiao fei) and "wisdom through deconstructing attachments" (po zhi guan hui). This dual-path approach, addressing both internal and external dimensions, provides an integrated perspective for understanding the dual alienation of the digital consumer era and offers theoretical guidance and practical possibilities for individuals to break free from alienated constraints and regain their subjectivity.

Abstract: Two assumptions have long been the Achilles’ heel of cosmological proofs: the principle of sufficient reason, and the claim to be able to distinguish personal and non-personal entities. In this paper, I develop a novel cosmological argument that does not depend on these principles. Starting from a premise inspired by Armstrong’s metaphysics, I establish the existence of at least one necessary entity. This conclusion obtains even if the existence of contingent entities admits no cause, reason, ground or explanation. Then, building on Wright’s account of epistemic entitlement, I argue that we are entitled to identify at least one necessary entity as God, even if we cannot ultimately prove whether such an entity is personal.

Abstract: This paper challenges the dominant representationalist paradigm in the philosophy of mind by developing a process-monistic, anti-representationalist account of cognition. It argues that the persistent mind-body problem is a consequence of a flawed substance ontology and the representationalist framework it necessitates. To overcome this, the paper constructs a critical synthesis of three influential anti-representationalist strands: Robert Brandom’s linguistic inferentialism as a “top-down” approach, the embodied and enactive theory of mind as a “bottom-up” approach, and the Resonance-Inference Model (RIM) as a unifying scientific framework. Drawing on Schopenhauer’s revolutionary turn to the lived body (Leib) as a non-representational access to reality, the paper traces a continuous path from basic biological normativity to the complex social normativity of human reason. By reinterpreting the Free Energy Principle (FEP) through an enactive lens (“enactive inference”) and employing the concept of formal downward causation from synergetics, the RIM provides a scientifically grounded mechanism for mental causation without resorting to dualism or reductionism. The resulting framework offers an integrated, multi-scale description of the mind as an embodied, self-organizing process, with significant implications for understanding psychopathology and critiquing contemporary rationalist theories.

Abstract: This paper presents the Resonance-Inference Model (RIM) as a meta-theoretical framework that overcomes the "explanatory gap" between the first-person perspective of experience and the third-person perspective of neuroscience. The central thesis is that the RIM resolves Cartesian dualism not through reduction but through a synergetic synthesis, modeling the mind as an emergent ordering parameter of the brain-body-environment loop. The model integrates the free energy principle (Friston), the phenomenology of the embodied self (Gallagher), and spatio-temporal brain dynamics (Northoff). A philosophical genealogy is drawn from Schopenhauer's anti-representationalist turn to modern enactivism (Thompson), and a mediating proposal between enactivism and predictive processing is offered. The paper also subjects the model to a stress test by addressing and integratively resolving key limit questions (e.g., on the nature of consciousness and the universality of the search for meaning). The implications for a non-reductionist, integrative science of the mind, as well as for the clinical practice of psychotherapy, are outlined.