The 4 Axes of the Technology Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Hard-Soft (physical vs. informational). Axis 2: Consumer-Industrial (individual vs. systemic use). Axis 3: Enabling-Replacing (augments human capacity vs. replaces human function). Axis 4: Transparent-Opaque (understandable operation vs. black-box complexity). These four axes create sixteen technology-types. A hand tool is hard, consumer, enabling, transparent. AI is soft, industrial (mostly), replacing, opaque. Social media is soft, consumer, replacing (of attention), opaque. Medical devices vary across all axes. The 4 Axes reveal that debates about technology—is it good? is it safe? is it controllable?—depend heavily on where a technology sits on these spectra.

The 4 Axes of the Technology Spectrum "You're worried about AI replacing jobs, but you're fine with calculators. The 4 Axes show why: calculators are enabling (they help you calculate), transparent (you understand how they work). AI is replacing (it does the thinking) and opaque (you don't know why it decides). Same axis, different positions—huge difference in effect."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Progress Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Material-Moral (stuff vs. ethics). Axis 2: Individual-Collective (me vs. us). Axis 3: Linear-Cyclical (steady advancement vs. wave-like progress that comes and goes). Axis 4: Absolute-Relative (progress against fixed standards vs. progress compared to others). These four axes create sixteen progress-types. The 20th century saw dramatic material progress (absolute) that was unevenly distributed (relative failure), with moral progress that was real but cyclical (rights advanced, then backslid). The 4 Axes reveal that progress debates often talk past each other because they're on different axes entirely.

The 4 Axes of the Progress Spectrum "You say we're making progress because technology advances. I say we're not because inequality grows. The 4 Axes show: you're on material, absolute, linear. I'm on material, relative, also linear. Same axis family, different positions. We're both right—and both wrong about the whole picture."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Epistemology Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Rationalism-Empiricism (reason vs. experience). Axis 2: Foundationalism-Coherentism (foundations vs. web). Axis 3: Internalism-Externalism (justification depends on factors inside the knower's mind vs. factors outside it). Axis 4: Individualism-Socialism (knowledge is individual achievement vs. knowledge is social product). These four axes create sixteen epistemological positions. Descartes is rationalist, foundationalist, internalist, individualist. Contemporary science is largely empiricist, coherentist, externalist (trusting methods over mental states), and social (science as community achievement). The 4 Axes reveal that debates about knowledge often talk past each other because they're fighting on different axes entirely.

The 4 Axes of the Epistemology Spectrum "You say knowledge requires certainty. That's foundationalism. I say knowledge is what the scientific community agrees on. That's social coherentism. The 4 Axes show we're not even on the same axes—let alone the same positions. No wonder we can't agree. We're playing different games entirely."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Pseudoscience Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions for finer discrimination. Axis 1: Methodological Soundness (valid methods vs. wishful thinking). Axis 2: Progressive-Stagnant (evolves vs. repeats). Axis 3: Falsifiability-Unfalsifiability (claims can be tested and potentially disproven vs. claims immune to counterevidence). Axis 4: Engagement-Ignorance (engages with scientific community and criticism vs. ignores or dismisses it). These four axes create sixteen positions. Creation science is unsound, stagnant, unfalsifiable (if God can create with apparent age), ignorant (dismisses evidence). String theory is sound, progressive, unfalsifiable (currently), engaged—so it's controversial science, not pseudoscience. The 4 Axes reveal that pseudoscience is defined by clusters of failures, not just one.

The 4 Axes of the Pseudoscience Spectrum "You think astrology is pseudoscience because it's wrong. The 4 Axes show it's deeper: astrology is unsound (anecdote-based), stagnant (same charts for millennia), unfalsifiable (vague predictions), ignorant (no engagement with astronomy). That's four failures, not one. Wrong isn't pseudoscience—refusing to engage with being wrong is."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions for finer discrimination. Axis 1: Testable-Untestable (can we investigate this?). Axis 2: Compatible-Incompatible (would it fit current science?). Axis 3: Experiential-Experimental (known through personal experience vs. potentially replicable in lab). Axis 4: Subjective-Objective (exists only for experiencer vs. potentially intersubjective). These four axes create sixteen parascience positions. Near-death experiences are untestable (can't replicate dying), incompatible (consciousness without brain? that's a revolution), experiential (known through personal reports), subjective (each experience unique). Telepathy research is testable, incompatible, experimental, potentially objective. The 4 Axes reveal that parascience debates often confuse these dimensions—dismissing subjective experiences as if they should meet experimental standards.

The 4 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You say NDEs aren't real because they can't be replicated in a lab. The 4 Axes show category error: NDEs are on the experiential, subjective end of the spectrum. Applying experimental, objective standards is like judging poetry by grammar rules. Wrong tool for the domain."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Material-Ideal (stuff vs. mind). Axis 2: Objective-Subjective (independent vs. dependent). Axis 3: Absolute-Relative (reality is one way for everyone vs. reality varies with perspective). Axis 4: Deterministic-Indeterministic (everything is caused vs. some things are random or free). These four axes create sixteen metaphysical positions. Classical physics assumes material, objective, absolute, deterministic. Quantum mechanics suggests material, objective (debated), relative (to measurement), indeterministic. Idealism might be ideal, objective (if minds share ideas), absolute, indeterministic (if mind is free). The 4 Axes reveal that metaphysical debates often confuse these dimensions—arguing about determinism when the real disagreement is about objectivity.

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You think free will is the only issue. The 4 Axes show it's deeper: are you material or ideal? Objective or subjective? Absolute or relative? Deterministic or free? Four axes, sixteen positions, and free will is just one. You can be a materialist who believes in free will (somehow) or an idealist who's a determinist (strange but possible). The axes give you the full space of possibilities."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Metaphysics

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Materialism-Idealism (matter vs. mind). Axis 2: Monism-Pluralism (one vs. many). Axis 3: Realism-Antirealism (reality exists independently vs. reality depends on mind/language). Axis 4: Atomism-Holism (reality consists of fundamental parts vs. wholes are primary). These four axes create sixteen metaphysical positions. Scientific realism is materialist, pluralist (many particles), realist, atomist (particles fundamental). Quantum holism might be materialist, monist (field), realist, holist (wholes primary). Idealism is idealist, could be monist or pluralist, could be realist (ideas independent) or antirealist (ideas depend on larger Mind). The 4 Axes reveal that metaphysical positions are defined by clusters of commitments.

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Metaphysics "You think you're just a realist. The 4 Axes ask: realist about what? Material or ideal? One or many? Atomist or holist? Scientific realism is very different from Platonic realism, even though both are realist. The axes show you what kind of realist you actually are—or whether you've even thought about it."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026