The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Philosophy

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Analytic-Continental (style/method). Axis 2: Theoretical-Practical (concern). Axis 3: Realist-Antirealist (about truth, meaning, value). Axis 4: Individualist-Holist (focus on individual vs. social structures). These four axes create sixteen philosophical positions. Existentialism is continental, practical, often antirealist about universal values, individualist. Marxism is continental (originally), practical, realist about historical truth, holist (class structures primary). The 4 Axes reveal that philosophical schools are defined by clusters of commitments across multiple dimensions.

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Philosophy "You think all Continental philosophy is the same. The 4 Axes show otherwise: existentialism is individualist, Marxism is holist. Same continent, different planets. The axes give you the coordinates to see that 'Continental' is a family, not a monolith."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Logic Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Formal-Informal (form vs. content). Axis 2: Classical-Nonclassical (standard vs. alternatives). Axis 3: Deductive-Inductive (certain inference vs. probabilistic inference). Axis 4: Monotonic-Nonmonotonic (adding premises never invalidates conclusions vs. conclusions can be defeated by new information). These four axes create sixteen logical positions. Mathematical logic is formal, classical, deductive, monotonic. Legal reasoning is informal, classical (mostly), inductive (evidence weighs), nonmonotonic (new evidence changes everything). AI reasoning is often formal, nonclassical (fuzzy, probabilistic), inductive, nonmonotonic. The 4 Axes reveal that different domains require different logics—using monotonic deductive logic for legal reasoning would be disastrous.

The 4 Axes of the Logic Spectrum "You think logic is universal. The 4 Axes show otherwise: math logic is monotonic—once proven, always proven. Legal logic is nonmonotonic—new evidence overturns verdicts. Same logic label, completely different behavior. The axes help you see why your 'logical' argument fails in court: you're using the wrong logic for the domain."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Knowledge Spectrum

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: A Priori-A Posteriori (reason vs. experience). Axis 2: Propositional-Procedural (that vs. how). Axis 3: Personal-Communal (knowledge held by individuals vs. knowledge stored in communities). Axis 4: Explicit-Tacit (knowledge you can state vs. knowledge you can't articulate). These four axes create sixteen knowledge types. Scientific knowledge is a posteriori, propositional, communal (scientific community knows), explicit (published). Cultural knowledge is a posteriori, procedural (knowing how to navigate a culture), communal, tacit (you just know how things work). The 4 Axes reveal that debates about knowledge often confuse these dimensions—dismissing tacit knowledge because it's not explicit, or communal knowledge because it's not personal.

The 4 Axes of the Knowledge Spectrum "You say you can't prove what you know. The 4 Axes ask: what kind of knowledge? Tacit knowledge can't be proved—that's its nature. Procedural knowledge is shown, not stated. Communal knowledge is distributed, not owned. The axes help you see that demanding explicit propositional proof for all knowledge is like demanding a fish to climb a tree."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026