Ethical Pluralism (a new Mathilde Ludendorff) and the question of outside versus inside spacetime

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Ethical Pluralism and the Distinction Between Inside Spacetime and Outside SpacetimeEthical Pluralism, as a philosophy of irreducible plural essences, provides a nuanced framework for understanding the distinction between phenomena "inside spacetime" (the empirical, observable world governed by space, time, and causality) and those "outside spacetime" (the super-causal, timeless, and spaceless realms of experiential depth and metaphysical essence). This distinction echoes Immanuel Kant's separation between appearances (phenomena) and things-in-themselves (noumena), where space and time are forms of human intuition rather than properties of reality itself. In Ethical Pluralism, however, this is not a rigid dualism but a manifestation of ontological plurality: Essences exist independently, some aligned with spacetime's constraints (visible essences like persistence and transformation in evolution), others transcending them (invisible essences like transcendence and aspiration, enabling "God-living" as atemporal awareness). The philosophy rejects any unifying substrate—inside and outside spacetime are not opposed halves of a whole but coexistent modes without common aspect, interacting contingently to enable human fulfillment.To unpack this, I'll first outline the relevant metaphysical foundations of Ethical Pluralism, then explain how spacetime fits into its plural ontology, and finally address how the philosophy "deals with" the question—through experiential navigation rather than theoretical resolution. This approach draws on quantum mechanics' indeterminacy (multiplicities without causality) and evolutionary biology's contingent branching (diversity without teleology), ensuring scientific harmony while defending metaphysical rigor.Metaphysical Context: Plural Essences and the Rejection of UnityAt its core, Ethical Pluralism posits reality as a mosaic of irreducible essences—self-sustaining ways of being that share no common ground. This avoids monism (e.g., all as matter or spirit) and dualism (e.g., body vs. soul), emphasizing absolute separation: Essences like finitude (mortality enabling renewal) and persistence (replicative continuity) coexist without derivation or hierarchy. Human questions arise from false impositions of unity on this plurality—e.g., seeking a singular "Immortal-Will" to resolve death's finality, when in truth, essences like consciousness (reflective awareness) emerge contingently to offer experiential transcendence.Spacetime enters as a delimiter for certain essences:

• Inside Spacetime (Visible Essences): These are empirical, conditional phenomena governed by space, time, and causality—the "Erscheinungswelt" (world of appearances). Examples include:
  • Survival essence: Biological drives (hunger, reproduction) operating in temporal cycles, as in evolutionary adaptations.
  • Transformation essence: Contingent changes, like mutations in DNA over generations, unfolding in spatial environments. These align with Kant's phenomena: Space and time as intuitive forms structuring experience, not inherent to things-in-themselves. In Ethical Pluralism, they are observable via science—e.g., evolutionary phylogeny as branching without unified progress.
• Outside Spacetime (Invisible Essences): These are super-causal, atemporal, and aspatial—the "Wesen der Erscheinung" (inner nature of things). Examples include:
  • Transcendence essence: Experiential states beyond duration, like contemplation where time "disappears."
  • Aspiration essence: Strivings (goodness, beauty, truth, relations) unbound by purpose or locality—e.g., epistemic pursuit of truth aligns conception with reality without temporal endpoints. These echo Kant's noumena: Not in space/time, inaccessible to causal reason. Ethical Pluralism extends this: No "thing-in-itself" as singular; multiplicity persists outside, as quantum entanglement links without spatial medium.

The "inside vs. outside" is not a boundary but a categorical independence: Visible essences (inside) enable empirical science; invisible (outside) foster God-Cognisance—experiential awareness of plurality. Interactions are contingent—e.g., survival (inside) harmonizes with transcendence (outside) in "spiritualized" bonds, without reduction.How Ethical Pluralism "Deals With" the Question: Experiential Navigation of PluralityEthical Pluralism does not "resolve" inside/outside as a problem but reframes it as an opportunity for fulfillment: Human consciousness navigates plurality, experiencing inside (spatiotemporal) essences empirically while apprehending outside (atemporal) ones transcendently. This avoids incoherence claims—e.g., existence outside spacetime as "self-contradictory"—by affirming essences' independence: Outside essences (e.g., transcendence) are not "non-existent" but super-structural, like quantum wave functions beyond classical space.

• Metaphysical Dealing: Pluralism denies absolute/relational dichotomies—spacetime is relational for visible essences (e.g., evolutionary adaptations in environments) but irrelevant for invisible (e.g., aspirational timelessness). "God-living" as transcendent awareness exemplifies outside: Timeless states where essences like moral discernment operate without causal chains.
• Scientific Dealing: Integrates quantum "beyond spacetime" ideas—e.g., structures in quantum gravity as non-spatiotemporal—supporting invisible essences. Evolution's contingent multiplicity (inside) enables transcendent fulfillment (outside).
• Religious/Ethical Dealing: Myths reflect plurality—e.g., eternalism's coexistent times as aspirational essence. Ethics affirms essences intrinsically: Discern actions across inside/outside, fostering fulfillment through plural harmony.

In sum, Ethical Pluralism deals with the question by embracing it as inherent to multiplicity: Navigate experientially, affirming independence without seeking unity. This robust, long overview captures the philosophy's depth.