The 12 Axes of the Pseudoscience Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of cognitive style and historical trajectory. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Empirical-Anecdotal (relies on systematic data vs. stories and testimonials). Axis 10: Parsimonious-Lavish (simple explanations vs. multiplying entities needlessly). Axis 11: Consistent-Contradictory (internally coherent vs. self-contradictory). Axis 12: Cumulative-Erasive (builds on past knowledge vs. constantly starts over). These twelve axes generate 4096 positions. Holocaust denial fails on nearly all axes: anecdotal (cherry-picks), lavish (complex conspiracies), contradictory (can't keep story straight), erasive (ignores overwhelming evidence). The 12 Axes reveal that pseudoscience isn't a binary category but a region in multidimensional space—and some claims are more pseudoscientific than others.

The 12 Axes of the Pseudoscience Spectrum "You want a simple test for pseudoscience? The 12 Axes are the test. Each axis is a question: does it use evidence or anecdotes? Simple explanations or endless excuses? Consistent or contradictory? Cumulative or starting over? Twelve questions, twelve chances to fail. If you're failing most of them, you're not doing science—you're doing something else, and you should admit it."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of cultural context and cognitive style. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Universal-Cultural (claims hold across cultures vs. culturally specific). Axis 10: Empirical-Interpretive (relies on data vs. relies on meaning-making). Axis 11: Literal-Metaphorical (claims are factually true vs. true as metaphor). Axis 12: Practical-Contemplative (aims at intervention vs. aims at understanding). These twelve axes generate 4096 parascience positions. Reiki is testable (and fails tests), incompatible, experiential, subjective, mysterious (to believers), traditional, insider, separatist (often), cultural (Japanese origin), interpretive (energy work as meaning), metaphorical (practitioners may not mean literal), practical (aims to heal). Astrology is testable (fails), incompatible, experimental in principle, objective (would work for anyone), explained (no mechanism), ancient, insider, separatist, cross-cultural, interpretive, literal to believers, practical (guides decisions). The 12 Axes reveal the rich texture of parascience—different phenomena, different purposes, different relationships to evidence and meaning.

The 12 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You want to dismiss all parascience with one argument. The 12 Axes show why that fails: Reiki functions as metaphorical, interpretive, practical healing—testing it literally misses the point. Astrology claims to be literal, objective, testable—and fails those tests. Same parascience label, completely different relationships to truth. One size fits none."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of consciousness and value. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Physical-Mental (reality includes mind or not). Axis 10: Value-Neutral (reality has intrinsic value vs. value is projected). Axis 11: Purposeful-Purposeless (reality has telos vs. blind). Axis 12: Finite-Infinite (reality is bounded vs. unbounded). These twelve axes generate 4096 metaphysical positions. Scientific materialism says physical, value-neutral, purposeless, finite (maybe infinite universe, but bounded in other ways). Spiritual worldviews often say mental (or includes mind), value-laden, purposeful, infinite. The 12 Axes reveal that the conflict between science and spirituality isn't one debate—it's twelve. And different spiritual traditions occupy different positions on each axis.

The 12 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You want to know if the universe has meaning. The 12 Axes ask: meaning as in value (axis 10)? Purpose (axis 11)? Mind (axis 9)? Infinity (axis 12)? Each axis gives a different kind of meaning. Science says no to most—but maybe yes to value (beauty of cosmos) even if no to purpose. The axes don't give a single answer—they give you a map of where meaning might live, even in a purposeless universe."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Spectrum of Metaphysics

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of universals, particulars, and modality. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Realism-Nominalism about Universals (universals like redness exist independently vs. only particulars exist). Axis 10: Actualism-Possibilism (only actual things exist vs. possibilities are real). Axis 11: Endurantism-Perdurantism (things persist wholly through time vs. things have temporal parts). Axis 12: Presentism-Eternalism (only present exists vs. past and future equally real). These twelve axes generate 4096 metaphysical positions. Platonism is idealist, pluralist (forms and particulars), realist about universals, possibilist (forms are possibilities), endurantist (forms are timeless), eternalist (all times equally real). The 12 Axes reveal that debates about time, universals, and possibility are all interconnected—your position on one constrains your options on others.

The 12 Axes of the Spectrum of Metaphysics "You think numbers are real. The 12 Axes ask: real as universals (Platonism) or real as mental constructions (conceptualism)? Real in all possible worlds or just actual? Timeless or temporal? Present or eternal? 'Numbers are real' is eight words; the axes turn it into twelve questions. That's not overcomplicating—that's precision."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Spectrum of Philosophy

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of audience and purpose. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Esoteric-Exoteric (philosophy for initiates vs. for everyone). Axis 10: Therapeutic-Investigative (philosophy heals vs. philosophy discovers). Axis 11: Descriptive-Prescriptive (philosophy describes reality vs. tells us how to live). Axis 12: Secular-Sacred (philosophy independent of religion vs. continuous with spiritual practice). These twelve axes generate 4096 philosophical positions. Stoicism is both theoretical and practical, realist (logos), individualist, a posteriori and a priori, coherentist, traditionalist (follow nature), aphoristic and systematic, exoteric, therapeutic, prescriptive, sacred (cosmos as divine). The 12 Axes reveal that ancient philosophy was often therapeutic and sacred—a very different project from modern academic philosophy.

The 12 Axes of the Spectrum of Philosophy "You think philosophy is useless because it doesn't make you happier. The 12 Axes ask: which philosophy? Stoicism is therapeutic—it's designed to make you happier. Academic metaphysics isn't. Same label, completely different purposes. The axes help you find the philosophy you need, not just the philosophy that exists."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Logic Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of paraconsistency, relevance, and computation. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Explosive-Paraconsistent (contradiction entails everything vs. contradictions can be contained). Axis 10: Relevant-Irrelevant (premises must be relevant to conclusion vs. relevance not required). Axis 11: Computational-Noncomputational (logic has effective decision procedure vs. undecidable). Axis 12: Static-Dynamic (logic of static propositions vs. logic of change/action). These twelve axes generate 4096 logical positions. Paraconsistent logic is formal, nonclassical, deductive, monotonic or nonmonotonic, bivalent or many-valued, truth-preserving, any order, extensional or intensional, paraconsistent (non-explosive), can be relevant or not, often decidable, static typically. Dynamic logic is formal, nonclassical, deductive, monotonic, bivalent, truth-preserving, higher-order, intensional, explosive, relevant-ish, decidable often, dynamic (explicitly about change). The 12 Axes reveal that logical pluralism isn't optional—different problems require different logical tools, and the axes help you find the right one.

The 12 Axes of the Logic Spectrum "You want a logic for contradictions in legal reasoning. The 12 Axes ask: explosive (standard logic) would destroy everything. Paraconsistent contains them. Relevant ensures the contradiction matters. Dynamic handles changing laws. Twelve axes, twelve design choices. Your 'simple logic' is just the one you're used to—not the one you need."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Knowledge Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of justification, reliability, and social context. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Justified-Unjustified (knowledge requires justification vs. reliable process suffices). Axis 10: Internalist-Externalist (justification depends on internal reasons vs. external reliability). Axis 11: Individualist-Social (knowledge is individual achievement vs. fundamentally social). Axis 12: Universal-Particular (knowledge of general truths vs. knowledge of specific facts). These twelve axes generate 4096 knowledge positions. Traditional epistemology (Plato's justified true belief) is internalist (reasons matter), individualist (the knower knows), and applies to both universal and particular. Reliabilist epistemology is externalist (reliable process suffices), individualist, universal and particular. Social epistemology is social (knowledge is communal achievement), externalist often, universal and particular. The 12 Axes reveal that debates about what knowledge is—justified true belief? reliable process? social achievement?—are debates about which axes matter most.

The 12 Axes of the Knowledge Spectrum "You think knowledge is justified true belief. The 12 Axes ask: justified internally (by reasons) or externally (by reliability)? Individually or socially? Universal or particular? Plato's definition assumes answers—internalist, individualist, both universal and particular. But externalists and social epistemologists disagree. The axes show that 'knowledge' is contested because different epistemologists make different choices on these axes—not because they're confused, but because knowledge itself is multidimensional."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026