Holopoiesis = Madhyamaka Buddhism (analytic deconstruction of hypostatic existence) + Whiteheadian Process Philosophy (synthetic reconstruction of the process of concrescence of experience) + Marxism (reflection upon and intervention into the dynamics of global geo-political economy) + Ecofeminism (axial aim towards the emancipation of the feminine and the cultivation of a non-hierarchical state of earth community)
It’s not easy to bring all of these elements together coherently — some would even claim that it would be impossible. But I think that it’s not only possible but urgently necessary! The state of emergency we’re in demands that we make the impossible possible, or else face total extinction.
In order to integrate each component into a consistent and coherent system, each part must play their part in that integration:
Each element would have to be analytically deconstructed so that they are all seen as open-empty: incomplete in themselves and pregnant with possibilities beyond themselves. The Madhyamaka Buddhist component provides the means to do this part of the integration.
Then each element would have to be synthetically reconstructed as irreducibly unique yet constitutive parts of a holistic system that includes and transcends them all. The Process Philosophical component provides the means to do this part of the integration.
Yet the system cannot simply be abstract and philosophical, but would have to be practically applicable to concrete problems found in geo-political and economic situations throughout the planet, whether local or global, that demand critical interrogation and intervention. The Marxist component provides the means for this part of the integration.
Finally, the whole system will have to be founded on the basis of, parametrically structured by, and operated with the interests of, fulfilling a fundamental, axiological aim or guiding motivation: to emancipate the full potential of the feminine from all the phallocratic limits that have been hitherto imposed upon it, so that each of us individually and all of us collectively can work to (re)turn the planet into a Pure Land, a Garden of Eden, the Promised Land, an Earth Community that harmoniously integrates all the needs and interests of the diversity of life as a unity-in-diversity. As a unity-in-diversity, no individual part gains pre-eminence over the others nor does the collective whole itself gain pre-eminence over the individual parts, since they are equally valuable and interdependent aspects of the same complex, living community. The Ecofeminist component provides the means for this part of the integration.
Since “the system” itself cannot be configured as a Master Model that stands in for reality itself, it must be configured as a model of the very world it wishes to give birth to: the system must be consistent and coherent yet incomplete and open-ended by design, and each (living) part will provide an equal and on-going, unique contribution to the creation of this integrated, living whole.
If you’re interested in following this (life-long) project (and wish to contribute once the project gets sufficiently large and complex enough) check out my blog and/or follow me here for updates!
Holopoiesis 