Introduction
Different cultures typically offer different, often contradicting each other belief systems. To explain these
contradictions, one can adopt the monoverse perspective claiming the existence of only one real world and only one true
description of that world. An alternative approach, developed and advocated in this manuscript, builds on the vision of
many worlds and many equally valid descriptions of these worlds. This particular viewpoint will be referred to here as
the multiverse perspective.
I will argue in this manuscript that the multiverse viewpoint epistemologically is not any less plausible than that
based on the monoverse vision. In other words, the weight of arguments in support of the multiverse is compatible to the
weight of arguments advocating the monoverse. Furthermore, I believe, the multiverse outperforms the monoverse in terms
of the aesthetic appeal, openness to innovations, and utility to our practices. The multiverse theory provides an
umbrella-framework overarching individual belief systems and reconciling them with each other. This framework is
particularly suitable for accommodating multi-culture societies.
To guide the development of this framework, I shall introduce the Instantiated Storied Object (ISO) machinery – a set of
assumptions and principles concerning the structure and functioning of this multiverse. According to the ISO machinery,
to create a new entity (be it a particular item or the whole new artificial world) one has to design it first, then
implement that design in practice, and finally test and maintain it. This strategy works perfectly well with artificial
systems such as physical aggregates and social constructs, but it does not apply to natural systems. To generalise it
towards natural systems, I shall introduce further assumptions and constraints concerning ontological foundations of this
multiverse. The end-product of these developments is a multiverse made out of many different belief systems and
communities of practitioners. Each belief represents a particular world instantiated through human practices. All worlds
together share the same universe of natural systems. Unlike monoverse worlds, where only one world is real, in the
multiverse there are many different equally real worlds, each world having its own Gods (if any), afterlife, customs
etc. Furthermore, new artificial worlds can be designed and instantiated from scratch when needed.
Despite a fair bit of philosophy present in this manuscript, I should warn the reader I am not a professional
philosopher and the lack of the systematic education in this area is likely to be noticeable throughout this book. The
text could be missing important references or it may zoom in on issues considered trivial by philosophers. On the other
hand, it was never my intention to write another philosophical treatise. The goal was to clarify to myself what we know
and what we do not about ourselves and the world around us, and then figure out how we can design a better
description of these items.
This manuscript touches upon some controversial philosophical issues concerning the epistemological and metaphysical
foundations of our beliefs. The scope of the undertaking is huge. To handle this complexity, I had two options to choose
from. One was to pick up a particular component of this theory and dedicate all my time to investigating and refining it.
Another option was to design and deliver the whole theory at once. In the first case, there was a risk of the polished
component of the new theory not making sense against the contextual background of the established paradigms. In the
later case, there was a risk of not delivering the whole theory at all or making it too shallow. I have placed a bet on
the second option and, I hope, have made first steps towards establishing a multiverse framework which is sufficiently
sound and complete in a sense that major parts fit together and the whole makes sense. The framework, however, is far
from being complete - there are rough patches, inconsistencies and loose ends to tie up.
Furthermore, the text of this manuscript has been neither edited nor reviewed (as of May 2019).
The writings of many people have influenced the choices I have made throughout this book. Richard Rorty’s “Philosophy
and the mirror of nature” and “Contingency, irony and solidarity” were instrumental to shaking my belief in the
foundational status of epistemology. McIntyre’s “After virtue” opened the door into the world of virtue ethics and Peter
Berger’s “The social construction of reality: a treatise in the sociology of knowledge” inspired the design of the
multiverse. Apart from these three thinkers, there are many others referred to in this book to whom I am indebted for
steering the direction of my thought and inspiring me with new ideas. Special thank goes to my family - without their
support I would not be able to complete this project.
Outline of the content. The book consists of this Introduction, 5 chapters, Appendixes and References.
Chapter 1 defines the notion of the Storied World - a building block of the multiverse,
and illustrates it through a number of examples.
It highlights contradictions an irreducible component of these storied worlds leading
to a conclusion that none of the established worlds (belief systems) are fully justified
(at least from the epistemological perspective).
In Chapter 2, first we discuss arguments for and against physical reductionism and then
dig into metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. THe material in this chapter is based on the university
text-books in philosophy. The goal is to highlight a normative component inherent to
many problems in philosophy thus contributing to their ampliative nature
(i.e. conclusions often going beyond of what is contained in premises).
The section on ethics is to introduce virtues and good-life as notions
complementary to the notion of truth and indicative of the quality of storied worlds
comprising the multiverse.
In Chapter 3 we introduce the Instantiated Storied Object (ISO) machinery – the key engine
driving the development of the storied multiverse.
ISO machinery explains cycling between abstract and particular domains and
provides a schema for creating new objects in multiverse.
Two points underpin this schema
1) a definition of the real entity, which is, on the one hand, general enough to accommodate storied worlds, and
on the other hand, sufficiently specific to delineate between real and fake entities via the reference to reproducible practices.
2) an assumption of the superpositional nature of the multiverse, which enables us to generalise ISO machinery from
the realm of the conventional artificial systems to natural systems.
To avoid contradictions, we complement the ISO machinery
with the ordering constrain (the first instance rules), and
the privacy constrain (one is a master of his / her own fate).
The ISO machinery defines ontology, cosmology, and metaphysics of the multiverse.
Chapter 4.1 introduces the inhabitants of this multiverse (migrants and sizmarians)
instantiating and maintaining this multiverse through the collective practices.
Sizmarians practice deep (or strong) form of the multiverse. They move from one culture
to another but belong to none of them.
Instead, they live in a multiverse itself filled with a
vast void separating individual worlds from each other.
There is no light, no heat, no meaning in this empty, cold space
unless you learn to instantiate all these by yourself, out of nothing.
Sizmarians generate a prior sustainable well-being insulating them from the existential vacuum
and thus enabling them to migrate across the multiverse.
Migrants on the other hand practice a shallow (weak) form of the multiverse teaching.
They do not denounce established cultures, instead they
extend them by adding extra features specific to multiverse. These new features enrich their identities.
As many others, they belong to a specific ethnicity, age, gender, professional, religious groups but
they also identify themselves
as the inhabitants of the multiverse meaning a particular character traits, states of being, practices, etc.
These extra features combined with other dimensions define collectively identity of migrants
( or nomads, if you like this name better).
This prior well-being is instrumental to the notion
of the migrant's good life - a key function expected from and delivered by the multiverse.
Since the good life is a life of the virtuous person, virtuous behavior is inherent to the life of a migrant.
Finally this section introduces the notion of the prior goodness permeating the whole multiverse.
Chapter 4.2 gives a short overview of established multiverse theories and
summarises arguments for and against the storied multiverse.
Chapter 5 concludes this manuscript.
A gentle introduction to the storied-multiverse is available at
Storied Multiverse Overview
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