Thesis: Physics often portrays matter as inherently obedient, implicitly echoing theological notions of creatures bound to divine law rather than relational participants in process.
Observation: In classical mechanics, particles follow precise trajectories; in field theory, excitations evolve predictably. Even in quantum mechanics, while indeterminacy exists, systems are treated as if they “respond” faithfully to laws, with no agency or relational nuance. Language reinforces this: matter “acts,” “flows,” or “follows” the dictates of formal laws.
Analysis: Treating matter as obedient recapitulates theological hierarchies: the world is composed of passive objects, awaiting direction from higher-order principles. Relational processes, contextual actualisation, and perspectival variability are obscured. By personifying matter as a passive executor of cosmic law, physics preserves a subtle metaphysical structure akin to servitude under command.
Implication: This framing suppresses inquiry into how relations actualise in context. If matter is assumed obedient by default, questions about contingency, emergence, and relational dependence are bypassed. The ontology implied is rigid and hierarchical, not relational and participatory.
Conclusion: Recognising matter as a relational participant rather than an obedient subject allows physics to shed its theological residue. Processes are not commands to be followed, but interactions to be understood. This is a critical step toward a perspectival, relational ontology.
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