Intensity: an essay in Whiteheadian ontology

264 Pages·1998·2.22 MB·English

by  Judith A. Jones

1117EIISI-rY
AnE ssaiyn
WhiteheadOinatno logy
TheV anderbliilbtr ary
ofA mericPahni losophy
offeirnst erprpeetrisvpee cotnit vheehs i storriocoatolsf
Americpahni losoapnhdoy n p reseinntn ovadteivveel opmiennA tmse rictahno ught,
includsitnugd ioefvs a luensa,t uralism,
socipahli lohsyo,cp ultucrrailt icainsdam p,p lieetdh ics.
GenerEadli tor
Herman]S.a atkaJmrp.,
TexaAs& M University
EditorAidavli soBryo ard
KwameA nthoAnpyp ia(hH arvard)
johnL ach(sV anderbilt)
John]M.c Dermot(tT exAa&sM )
joePlo rt(eC ornell)
HilaPryu tna(mH arvard)
RutAhn naP utna(mW ellyes)l e
CharleHnaed docSke igfr(iPeudr due)
BethS]i.n g(eBrr oloynk College)
john]S.t uh(rP ennsylSvtaantiea)
Otherre cenptulbyl isthietdil net sh es eriiensc lude
ElemeonftK sn owledge:
PragmatLiosgmia,c n,dI nquiry
RevisaenddE xpandEeddi tion
ArthFurra nkSltienw art
The LoyalP hysician:
RoyceEatnh iacnsdt hPer actoifMc eed icine
GriffiTnr otter
GenuiInned iviadnudaG lesn uiCnoem munitAiR eosy:c ePaunb lPihci losophy
jacqluyeAnn nK .K egley
Rortayn dP ragmatThies Pmh:i losoRpehsepro tndoHs i sC ritics
editbeydH erman]S.a atkamp,Jr.
TheT hougahntdC haracotfWe irl lijaamm es
newp aperbeadcikt ion
RalpBha rtPoenr ry
TheR elevaonfPc hei lostoopL ihfye
johnL achs
TheP hilosoofLop yhay lty
newp aperbeadcikt ion
josiRaohy ce
IN,.ENSI7Y
AnE ssaiyn
WhiteheadOinatno logy
JuditJho nes
A.
VanderUbniilvte rPsrietsys
NashvainldLl oen don
© 1998by V anderUbniilvte rPsrietsys
Alrli ghrtess erved
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PermanenocfeP apefro Prri nteLdi braMrayt erials.
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copyrigrhetn ew©e d195b6y G eorgYee atasn,db yp ermissioofAn . P. WatLtt do n
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ISBN0 -8265-13(0a0l-pkXa. p er)
l.O ntolo2gy.. W hiteheAaldf,r Neodn h,1 8611-9473.. P rocess
philosopIh.Ty i.t lIeI.S. e ries.
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Contents
Acknowledg.m.en.t.s . . . . . . ........v..i.i.. ...... . . . . .
Introdu.c.ti.o.n . . . ...................ix. .. . . . . . . . . . .
Abbvrieati.on.s. ......... . . . . . .. .. ..xi..v.. . . . . . . . . .
ChaptOeNrEI :n tenosfSi attyi sfac.t.io.n. .............. ..3 .. . . . .
.
SomeR eflecotniW ohnist eheUasdeos fC ategori4e s
Intenosf'i Ftye eli8n g'
Contras1t2s
Subjectivaen dBF aolramn ced Com1p4l exity
AesthOertdiec1r 8
Satisfa2c3t ion
IntenosfFi eteyl Rienvgi siMtoerdSe:t ructuCroanls idera3t3i ons
ContrasRtevsi siTtheeCd a:t egoorfExi iesst en4c0e
ChaptTWeOr: I ntenasnidt yCt ahtee goOrbelailg at.i.on.s. . 4.4. . . . . .
TheP haseosf C oncresc4e5n ce
TheC ategoOrbelailg at4i6o ns
Conclus8i2o n
ChaptTeHrRE E: The OonfIt notleong.syi. t..y. . . ........8..4 .. . .
.
TheC oncrescence/DCiosntcirnect8tu5im o n
QuantitSaattiivsef a9c8t ion
BeinAgc,t ualaintydD, e rivaAtcitvuea l1i0 t4y
Creatiavnidtty h Oen toloofgyA tomis1m0 9
IntenasnidExv tee nsiQvuea ntiStyo:m eH istorCiocnasli dera1t1i2o ns
ExtensiSvolei daarnidIt nyt enAstiovmei s1m2 2
ConclusIinodni:v iExdiusatle nacnedP ersisotfeC nhcaer act1e2r6
ChaptFeOrU RI:n tenasnidIt nyt ellEexcpteuriae.ln c.e. . . .1.23. . . . . . .
Intenisnti htHeyi ghFeorr mosfEx perienc1e3 3
SymboRleifce reTnhceSe t:a toufPs r esentaItmimoendaila1 c4y9
SomHei storical Cons1i5d7e rations
CoordiAnnaatley Exstiesns:i atnyd I ntensi1t5y9
ChaptFeIrVA En:E ssoany tMhoer aloifAt tyt en.ti.o.n . . .1.7.1. . . . . .
MetaphyBsaicckaglr o1u7n2d
TranscenDdeecnits ainodCn o ntroofPl r oce1s7s5
TheM etaphyosfMi ucdsd l1e7 8
'IndividiunMa.ol riatly 'Ex per1i8e1n ce
v
CONTENTS
TheA esthDeitsicce rnmoefIn ntd iviBdeuianlgI 8s 5
A DefenosfWe h iteheCaodnsc eopfVt a lu1e8 8
"OnG oda ndG oodI"d:e aRlesl,i gainodtn h,De i scipolfAi tntee nt1i9o1n
ConclusSikoento:cfa h n E thiocfIs n tens1i9t7y
EpiloognAu teo mistic Metaphysics 207
. . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . . .
Notes 215
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bibliography 229
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. . . . . .
Index 235
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . . . . . . . . . ........ . . . . .
vt
Acknowledginents
Int hibso okw iIlb led efendaci enrgt ianitne rproefWt haittieohnse ad'
relataitoonmailas sms,e rstoimnegt haibnogbu ott thh set roinngd ividuality
andi mportinatnetr cnoanln ecteodfen veesntsth sac ta bne f uondi na p ro­
cesosn tolIoitgse y. s sentthieanl,,I a tchkanto wltehdogcseoe n necatnido ns
relatiownhsihchihap vcseo ntritbotu htbeee dc omoifnt ghp er esteenxtt .
Sevefroarlmo sfi nstitsuutpipoonralt hainvvea lbuetaeotbn hl ceeo m­
pletoifto hnmi asn usctrhirpotvu aghri osutsa goefis t s exiSsutbesntcaen.t ial
larteev iswieormneas d peo ssibbyal S eu mmeFra cuRletsye arch Fellowship
generogursalnytb eyF do rdhUanmi verTshieft iyr.fs otr mulaotfti hoins
worwka ss upporbtyae W do odruFfefl lowasnhdLi epw is WBheictke
ReseaFreclhl owfsrmho iEpmo rUyn ivteyrw,sh ierIee a rned dmoyc toIr ate.
thanbko tihn stitfuotri otsnhusep iprao nrdtc onfideFnicnleay.Il,a mg arte­
ful tfhooerp portutnohi atvyteh iwso rakp peianVr a nderbUinlitv ersity
PresLsi:Sb roafrAy m ericPahni losophy.t hSapngekocst i osa elr ieedsi tor
Herma]n.S aatkJarmf.po hri s encouraangdfe omhrei onsnt g oilnega der­
shiipna n umbeorfa reiamsp orttoas ncth olianr sAt mheeri ctarna diIt ion.
alstoh antkh ee doirtai,lp roudcito,n amnadr ketdienpga rtmaetn ts
VanderbUinlitv erPsrieftsoysmr a kitnhgi nggoss o s mootohnlt yh per acti­
casli doeft hpirsjo ect.
Thei ndiviwdhuoasliesn flueanrcmeea sn ifients htpe r essetnutd y
(thouIag chc eptr etsoptoanls fiobaril lli cttlyha eim masd hee reairnte)r uly
tonou merotuols i tshto,u Igw ho ulldi kteoe xteanw da rm" thaynoku " to a
handfoufpl e opwliet howuhtom t hesspee culawtoiuolpndrs o banbelvye r
havoec curTrheedfi .r sitsE lizaKbreatuhws i,t h wIhw oamsf rotunate
enougthos tudfyo sre veyreaalar stF ordhwahme np hilosfoiprhsyt
appeairnme ydm entlaaln dsacsaa pnue n deardguraTtoeT .h omaRs.F lynn
ofE morUyn iverIsa imdt eye pilnyd ebftoeyrde aorfsp atiegnuciedc,ae n,
andfri endshIia pma .l sgor atfeoftruh lae t mospohfbe rroea adn di ntensive
philosoipnhqiuctiahrlasy to maonfuy sh avfeuo nda tE mory.W ithotuhte
compaonfyf l elopwr ocsepsesc ulDaatvoirds aKnidEt dew arMdu nn it
woulhda vbee ehna rdteorr e maficonu seandd a,tt imetsok, ep el eii fnp er­
spec!tM iavneyo fu sd urionugyr e aartsE morwye rael slou ceknyo utgoh
have GeLourcgaes onf ohrta inamd we i,t whh omo uirn quitrioeolsko ng
striMdyec so.l leaagtFu oersd ham Univebreseiantn iy n shpaivreia nt ion
evesreyn osfet hweo rdT.h epilru raalnidsk me epnh ilosoipnhsitcianlc ts
arien exhaurssetoiubrlcaeen sd, tghoeoiwdri lla d iasib llye sgs.Ii nespe­
ciatlhlayn kg artdhuea stteu dewnhtoss e eannedir ngsyi hgahvtme a dmey
seminianpr rso ctehsosu gshort e wdairnagn ds ustaiinni nptgrh eep aration
oft hirse scehaI.ra mg ratteofA unln Peo merfooymr a nhy ourosfe ditorial
assisatnadgn ocoecd o nvseartion.
vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
So many ipnet ohPper loec Ceosmsm unhiatvybe e einm porttaomn et
in bringsitnugdt yotc hoimsp lettihaoetnn ,u meraatrieo nsb otuon db e
rudeilnyc ompIl etmeuh.so tw,e vtehra,nJ kog reN oboL,e wis aFnodr d,
GeorKglei net hfecoiorrm menatrsg,ue mntasn,de ncoureangteTsmh.a nks
arael so otwoDe odn aSlhde rnbeuW,ri lliGaamr laannddJ, o seph Grange
focro nverstahtaihtao vnbese efnro matiinvt eh dee velopomfte hnpetr e­
senwto rkIa. m g ratteoft uhlSe o cifeottryh Set udoyfP rocPehsisl osophies
fotrh oep portutnopi rteys ent msoywm oer akot af n a nnumaele ting.
Anothdeerbr te fltehcseth si fstpiancgoe fps h ilosoepxhcihcaainlngt eh ese
lahsotu rosft htew entcieentyth-u trhPer ocFeosrsu imn ternleits tsiesrv e
ac ommunoift y inqiunit rhebere sss te nsoeft hweo rd, prdoaviidliyn g
opportutnoei xtciheasin dgeeaa nsdt royu nte wc oncepts.
Finlaywl,i thotuhptee rsosnuaplp oorfft rie ndasn dfm ailpyh ilosophy
woulbdei mpossainbdil,nte h een dp,e rhapposi ntlaemsd se.e pglIry a teful
fotrh e lovseu papnoodrfm t y parenantdse xtenfdmaeidl Fyo.Jr .E .
Runyosnhsa erypae n d riscehno sfeli Ifa em a lwatyhsa unklf.
JudiAt.Jh o nes
FordhUanmi vteyr1,s99 i6
viii
Introduction
Thseo orftt h iIwn agnt ptoro viets h at
a trwiiontfpgt i egeoouontfss i ght
ieson ugtho aads ournTnsh etatth.s e e a
unscrbayst wcihmesmd ae iscrs o alndbd l ue
ast hirtshtoiucegoshudttla dui. bt. . .
Fortbhioedln do stalgia
forw hairtsce gonizable,
intiomfsa ucmihmeoesur asngeda d ren,
thceo ntoeft nhlteays bri nth.
Taburlaaaos r
embasrmaeosnfrit c hes-
eitwhaeyr as i ottlsabir uys iness,
nowth atthw eay fraepri cetdu r
whesnei tnhtgel rbseehlfti hncadot r tnaebrl e
shfier usntf otlhdmeea dp ,
liftheeedrey s tuon carnwe oarsledd.
-RachHeald a"sO,Pn o etry"
Int hese tlhpieon eeatsn nounwcheatsto p hilosoepyheiissac r aelc og­
niza"brleya ilnitsetr"p roefnt aattusisr oeenl' f-invweistqthum aelnitAt nide s.
nosti mpqluya litieasf o-rbomuf bt e atuyr,e dseinitnn atuirned ependent
ofh umapne rceptthiseou nn:si es"t a dorneandd"t hsee ian i tcso lbdl ue­
nespso ssesssaetsit soafri anctehsasit sn oatf ucntiooftn h sel akoiftn hgi rst,
eithienr tmhoeu tohr i nt hem indR.e alipshtiilcpo hs,yoi ncluding
Whitehseh,aa das'l wabyese tnh aet tempt to buoiflac d o nscoempettuh­ing
alm apa,r eprnetsaetoifot nhc eo ntoutreerdr oaifon cse adne,s efroetrs,t ,
ctiya,n dc osmwoesi nhaAbnidt .y euts etfhuelo nfe sssmu acphis sa ll too
diminibsyht ehde iinre vitnaebetldoe b ef oldiendts oo mmea nageable
sha.pT ehen eetdoi mpomsaen ageaobnio luiirtd ye oafrs e aliltiyk teiols y
managree aliittsiyen al r fa thienro pporwtau-ynhea ltfh tei mteh pel ace
wen eeds eivse froallad wsa yo,rf alolnos n e tohf"e c reamsaeksi"tn hga t
locattihoarnte, a ,ln ietxtytoi nvis.i ble
This eissas naa tyt etmop ts thhicefo tn sideorfWa htiitoenh oenatdosl ­
ogyf rosmo me haabnidmt aunaalg enaobtlieoo fn" si ndividtuoa lleais tsy "
cleatrb,-u ctpu erhamposr ree saltiibca,s iBysf .co usionng tchoen ceopft
"intietanyss"a d escriopftt hiseou njb etcievex perioefan ccteue anlt iwtei es,
ix