The 8 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of temporality and distribution. Axis 1: Material-Moral. Axis 2: Individual-Collective. Axis 3: Linear-Cyclical. Axis 4: Absolute-Relative. Axis 5: Intended-Unintended. Axis 6: Reversible-Irreversible. Axis 7: Fast-Slow (rapid transformation vs. gradual change). Axis 8: Concentrated-Diffuse (progress accrues to few vs. spreads to many). These eight axes create 256 progress-types, mapping the full complexity of human advancement. The Green Revolution was material, collective, linear, absolute (in yield), intended, reversible (soil depletion), fast, concentrated (big farms benefited most). The internet was material and moral mixed, individual and collective, linear in some ways cyclical in others, absolute and relative, largely unintended, probably irreversible, extremely fast, initially diffuse then concentrated.

The 8 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "Everyone celebrates technological progress, but the 8 Axes ask: what kind? Fast? Yes. Diffuse? Initially, now no. Reversible? Probably not. Intended? Not really. Moral? Debatable. You can't just say 'progress'—you have to specify all eight axes, or you're not really talking about progress, you're talking about change."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Epistemology Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of certainty and scope. Axis 1: Rationalism-Empiricism. Axis 2: Foundationalism-Coherentism. Axis 3: Internalism-Externalism. Axis 4: Individualism-Socialism. Axis 5: A Priori-A Posteriori. Axis 6: Analytic-Synthetic. Axis 7: Certainty-Fallibilism (knowledge requires certainty vs. knowledge can be uncertain but still knowledge). Axis 8: Universal-Particular (knowledge of general laws vs. knowledge of specific facts). These eight axes create 256 epistemological positions, mapping the full complexity of human knowing. Scientific laws aim for universal, fallibilist, a posteriori, synthetic knowledge. Historical events are particular, fallibilist, a posteriori, synthetic. Mathematical truths aim for universal, certain (in some views), a priori, analytic. The 8 Axes demonstrate that epistemology isn't a monolith—it's a multidimensional space where different kinds of knowing occupy different coordinates.

The 8 Axes of the Epistemology Spectrum "You say knowledge requires certainty. That's one position on axis 7. But most scientists are fallibilists—they know their knowledge could be wrong, and they call it knowledge anyway. The 8 Axes show you're not more rigorous—you're just on a different axis. Fallibilism isn't weakness; it's a different epistemology for a different kind of knowing."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Pseudoscience Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of community structure and relationship to authority. Axis 1: Methodological Soundness. Axis 2: Progressive-Stagnant. Axis 3: Falsifiability-Unfalsifiability. Axis 4: Engagement-Ignorance. Axis 5: Motivated-Ingenuous. Axis 6: Explanatory-Ad Hoc. Axis 7: Community-Solitary (has its own pseudo-academic institutions vs. lone geniuses with no community). Axis 8: Authority-Evidence (appeals to ancient wisdom/gurus vs. appeals to evidence). These eight axes create 256 positions. Homeopathy has its own journals (community), appeals to "like cures like" (authority), and fails on all previous axes. The 8 Axes demonstrate that pseudoscience is a multidimensional phenomenon that mimics science's social structures while violating its core norms.

The 8 Axes of the Pseudoscience Spectrum "Creation science has journals and conferences—so it must be science, right? The 8 Axes show why that fails: community structure (axis 7) is present, but it fails on method, progress, falsifiability, engagement, motivation, explanation, and appeals to authority. One axis doesn't save the other seven. Mimicking science isn't the same as doing it."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of practitioner community and relationship to science. Axis 1: Testable-Untestable. Axis 2: Compatible-Incompatible. Axis 3: Experiential-Experimental. Axis 4: Subjective-Objective. Axis 5: Explained-Mysterious. Axis 6: Traditional-Novel. Axis 7: Insiders-Outsiders (studied by believers vs. studied by skeptics). Axis 8: Integrative-Separatist (seeks integration with science vs. rejects scientific worldview). These eight axes create 256 parascience positions. Psychedelic research was outsider, integrative, testable, potentially compatible—and is becoming mainstream. UFOlogy is often insider (believers doing research), separatist (distrust of official science), testable in principle, incompatible (if aliens are here), mysterious, novel. The 8 Axes demonstrate that parascience isn't just about claims—it's about communities and their relationship to the scientific establishment.

The 8 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "UFO research and psychedelic research are both parascience, right? The 8 Axes show the difference: psychedelic research is integrative (wants to work with science), outsider (now insider), testable, compatible. UFOlogy is separatist (distrusts science), insider (believers only), testable but failing, incompatible (if real, it's revolutionary). Same label, completely different trajectories."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

A detailed model adding dimensions of time and causality. Axis 1: Material-Ideal. Axis 2: Objective-Subjective. Axis 3: Absolute-Relative. Axis 4: Deterministic-Indeterministic. Axis 5: Continuous-Discrete. Axis 6: Manifest-Hidden. Axis 7: Temporal-Eternal (reality is in time vs. outside time). Axis 8: Causal-Acausal (everything has a cause vs. some things are uncaused). These eight axes create 256 metaphysical positions. The block universe of special relativity is material, objective, absolute (spacetime is absolute), deterministic, continuous, hidden (fourth dimension not manifest), eternal (all times equally real), causal. Experienced time is temporal, causal, manifest—and conflicts with the block universe. The 8 Axes demonstrate that the "nature of time" debate is really about multiple axes simultaneously.

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You think time is simple. The 8 Axes show otherwise: is time real or illusion? Is it continuous or discrete? Is everything simultaneous (eternal) or flowing (temporal)? Is it causal or acausal? Four axes just for time. And that's before you get to the other four axes about matter, mind, objectivity. Time isn't simple—time is eight questions disguised as one."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Metaphysics

A detailed model adding dimensions of causality and grounding. Axis 1: Materialism-Idealism. Axis 2: Monism-Pluralism. Axis 3: Realism-Antirealism. Axis 4: Atomism-Holism. Axis 5: Eternal-Temporal. Axis 6: Necessary-Contingent. Axis 7: Causal-Acausal (reality is governed by cause and effect vs. some things are uncaused). Axis 8: Grounded-Brutal (reality rests on something more fundamental vs. brute facts all the way down). These eight axes create 256 metaphysical positions. Aristotelianism is materialist (hylomorphic), pluralist (many substances), realist, holist (form/matter unity), temporal, contingent, causal, grounded (in prime mover). Physicalism is materialist, pluralist, realist, atomist, eternal (laws are timeless), contingent (could have been different), causal, brutal (physics just is). The 8 Axes demonstrate that metaphysical systems are defined by their positions on causality and grounding as much as by their substance commitments.

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Metaphysics "You think everything has a cause. The 8 Axes ask: causal all the way down, or does it bottom out in something uncaused? And if uncaused, is that ground (first cause) or just brute fact (nothing explains it)? The axes distinguish theist (grounded in God) from atheist (brute facts). Same causality assumption, completely different metaphysics."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Philosophy

A detailed model adding dimensions of tradition and change. Axis 1: Analytic-Continental. Axis 2: Theoretical-Practical. Axis 3: Realist-Antirealist. Axis 4: Individualist-Holist. Axis 5: A Priori-A Posteriori. Axis 6: Foundationalist-Coherentist. Axis 7: Traditionalist-Progressive (philosophy conserves wisdom vs. philosophy critiques tradition). Axis 8: Systematic-Aphoristic (philosophy as system vs. philosophy as fragments/essays). These eight axes create 256 philosophical positions. Nietzsche is continental, practical, antirealist (about many things), individualist, a posteriori (genealogy), coherentist (will to power as organizing principle), progressive (critiques tradition), aphoristic. Hegel is analytic-ish, theoretical and practical, realist (Absolute), holist, a priori in some readings, foundationalist (dialectic), traditionalist (preserves while sublating), systematic. The 8 Axes demonstrate that style and relationship to tradition are as defining as content.

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Philosophy "You think philosophy is just arguments. The 8 Axes show that's one style—systematic, analytic, traditionalist. But aphoristic, progressive, continental philosophy exists, and it's not failed analytic philosophy—it's a different game. The axes help you see that philosophy is a family of practices, not a single method."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026