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Q&A

What does "functional" mean?

"Functional" refers to processes that support and implement more complex processes—meaning that the former carry out the role of the latter (cf. Cummins, R., The Nature of Psychological Explanation, Cambridge (Mass.), London, 1983).

Importantly, this meaning is not the same as the idea of functionalism in the philosophy of mind, which assumes that mental states can be explained independently of their physical basis. In contrast, the functioning of living systems is inherently tied to their organic structure—meaning their functions cannot be fully understood apart from their biological embodiment.

What does "transcendental" mean?

"Transcendental" refers to the underlying conditions that make a phenomenon possible. It includes all relevant functions that enable the phenomenon to occur.

Contrary to some misconceptions, "transcendental" does not refer to something detached from the world, such as an abstract mental realm. For example, the transcendental function of consciousness is to create unity out of diverse sensory input. Although our eyes take in scattered bits of visual information—especially due to constant saccadic eye movements—we still experience objects as unified and whole.

The same applies to self-experience: despite encountering various sensations and thoughts over time, we still perceive ourselves as a continuous, unified being. Since this unity is not directly provided by our sensory organs, there must be an underlying function that generates this coherent experience. Thus, the transcendental is not something "transcendent" or disconnected from reality—it is a fundamental aspect of how experience is structured.

What does "dialectical" mean?

"Dialectical" is a methodological concept with different interpretations. The most famous is Hegel's thesis-antithesis-synthesis model, in which opposing ideas are reconciled in a higher unity.

However, our approach is based on Fichte's concept of dynamic dialectics. Unlike Hegel, Fichte does not resolve tensions between opposing elements into a final unity. Instead, he sees them as ongoing, necessary tensions that drive a phenomenon forward.

For example, consider how we experience an object:

• On one hand, an object is a unified whole—a single, stable thing.

• On the other hand, it presents itself differently depending on our perspective (e.g., changes in color, shape, or texture based on viewing angle).

These two aspects—the unity of the object and its varied appearances—are in constant interaction, and we experience them together without prioritizing one over the other.

In daily life, we don’t separate these elements, but when we analyze experience philosophically, we must preserve this complexity. If we isolate just one aspect—such as the raw sensory data—and claim that it alone explains perception, we oversimplify the phenomenon.

Thus, dynamic dialectics is a method for preserving the full complexity of experience. Rather than reducing phenomena to a single underlying principle, it views them as interacting, evolving processes.

What does "heterarchical" mean?

A heterarchy is not simply the opposite of a hierarchy. Instead, it describes a system in which elements can be arranged in both hierarchical and networked relationships (cf. Cumming, G. S., Heterarchies: Reconciling Networks and Hierarchies, Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 31(8), 622–632, 2016).

The concept was introduced by McCulloch (1945) while studying neural reflexes. He observed that organisms do not operate with a strict "chain of command" but instead adjust their responses flexibly. Günther (1971) later provided a logical foundation for the idea, and since then, heterarchy has been applied in neuroscience, ecology, archaeology, robotics, business, and politics.

While hierarchy describes unidirectional control (one element dominates others), and networks describe equal interactions, heterarchies integrate both in dynamic configurations.

In a heterarchical system, elements can simultaneously exist in both hierarchical and networked relationships. That is, some elements may exert unidirectional influence over others (a hierarchical relation) while still being mutually dependent on other elements (a network relation).

Importantly, these relationships are not static—the weighting of hierarchical and network influences can shift over time, depending on the system’s behavior and its interaction with external factors.