From One-in-Many to Continuous Fluxes

Abstract

This article proposes a reinterpretation of the classic problem of universals based on the process ontology formulated by Johanna Seibt. We first examine examples of traditional realist and nominalist approaches to the problem, followed by the difficulties inherent in both. Then we analyze trope theory, particularly Keith Campbell's version, as an attempt to mediate between these positions. Although trope theory seeks to circumvent the impasses of previous ontological models, it faces unfeasible conceptual obstacles, such as explaining the similarity between properties and their spatiotemporal location. Therefore, the article proposes an ontological shift: replacing the static structure of being by an ontology of continuous, dynamic, and relational processes. In Seibt's proposal, properties cease to be static entities (universal or particular) to be understood as recurring patterns of change within processual flows. This perspective dissolves the dichotomy between universal and particular by conceiving multiplicity as an expression of processual regularities in different contexts. Thus, we conclude that process ontology offers a more coherent and productive conceptual alternative for rethinking the problem of universals, allowing for metaphysics aligned with the dynamic complexity of the natural world and with contemporary developments in science and philosophy.