Ontology and Teleology of Emergent Flow Theory (EFT): A Panpsychic View of existence

Modern philosophy has made undeniable progress in understanding existence. Thinkers such as Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and, more recently, Bernardo Kastrup have provided innovative and profound perspectives on the nature of reality. However, they have yet to offer a coherent and, most importantly, scientifically verifiable explanation of the subjective phenomenon of qualia. On the other hand, reductive materialism asserts that consciousness is a mere epiphenomenon emerging from complex neuronal interactions. However, this approach fails to satisfactorily explain the origin of life, the persistent randomness at molecular and atomic levels, and fundamental issues in neuroscience, such as the binding problem and the mind-body problem. This is where the Emerging Flow Theory (EFT) introduces an innovative conceptual framework based on a panpsychist vision of reality. Ontologically, existence is defined as a flow of informational concrescence, emerging from the interaction between energy and matter at any level of organization. Teleologically, its function is to regulate this interaction and progressively integrate into increasingly complex structures until achieving harmonic concatenation at the cerebral level, ultimately giving rise to the qualitative phenomenon of existence. Moreover, EFT redefines the role of free will, considering it as an integrative factor of conscious and unconscious phenomena. Drawing from established neural network models, the theory proposes thought flows that can be practically applied in daily life and across various scientific disciplines, broadening their scope and offering new research tools. Supported by recent and innovative scientific theories—such as Karl Friston’s free energy principle, which explains consciousness’s fundamental tendency to self-organize hierarchically, minimizing uncertainty as a survival and reproduction mechanism—EFT also aligns with Stuart Kauffman’s quantum consciousness and Lucien Hardy’s quantum information principles. These ideas enable the design of experiments based on graph theory and quantum superposition, facilitating the empirical validation of its premises. From this perspective, EFT proposes a paradigm shift, offering a panpsychist vision that redefines our understanding of time and space. Its approach transcends Cartesian substance dualism, replacing it with an appearance dualism, where matter and consciousness are not separate entities but rather manifestations of the same informational flow. EFT is grounded in robust scientific foundations, structured upon logical-mathematical axioms supported by cutting-edge scientific research. Furthermore, its ontology and teleology clearly establish the philosophical principles that sustain its applicability and experimental potential, paving the way for future falsification and verification. Thus, I invite the reader to take a rational leap of faith, considering this theory as a fresh and transformative perspective for understanding and studying consciousness—a paradigm with the potential to reshape our perception of reality and existence itself.