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Work #406 · Late

Modes of Thought

Alfred North Whitehead
1938 (Wellesley & University of Chicago lectures, 1937-38) · English
Late philosophical lectures · Process philosophy / English-American metaphysics

Whitehead's 1938 late lectures on the modes of philosophical thinking — the most accessible introduction to his thought

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Modes of Thought (Late)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Reason
Observer · Theological Method —
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

⧖

Time

Modes of Thought

Central — process-relational time.

✦

Space

Modes of Thought

The relational space of nature and life.

◉

Matter

Modes of Thought

The actual occasions of process metaphysics.

◎

Observer

Modes of Thought

The experiencing actual occasion.

⚡

Energy

Modes of Thought

Creative-process energies.

⧉

Information

Modes of Thought

Late process-philosophical synthesis.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Modes of Thought

Whitehead's process philosophy in continuing dialogue with analytic-metaphysical mainstream.