Introduction
Across this series, we have reinterpreted three central astrophysical phenomena — black holes, Hawking radiation, and the singularity — through the lens of relational ontology. Each, rather than standing as independently existing objects, emerges as a constituted phenomenon, enacted through symbolic construal, theoretical systems, and perspectival instantiations.
This final post synthesises these insights, highlighting how relational ontology reframes our understanding of cosmic realities and scientific knowledge itself.
Systems and Instantiations: The Architecture of Cosmic Meaning
At the heart of our approach lies the distinction between:
Systems — structured potentials composed of theoretical and symbolic constraints mapping what could be.
Instantiations — perspectival cuts that enact specific phenomena within these potentials.
Black holes are not fixed objects but instantiated enactments of the astrophysical system’s possibilities. Hawking radiation is a symbolically anticipated extension of that system, while the singularity marks a boundary condition within the system’s conceptual architecture.
Together, they illustrate the dynamic interplay of construal and reality, theory and observation, symbolic practice and cosmic imagination.
Constitutive Meaning and Reflexivity in Astrophysics
Meaning is not a passive reflection of an external cosmos; it is constituted through construal. The phenomena we label “black holes” or “Hawking radiation” exist only through the ongoing symbolic, discursive, and practical activities that produce and sustain them.
This reflexivity shapes not only what counts as scientific fact but how research priorities are formed, how instruments are designed, and how knowledge communities evolve.
Implications for Scientific Practice and Philosophy
By embracing relational ontology, we gain a framework that:
Challenges objectivist assumptions that cosmic phenomena exist independently “out there.”
Emphasises the co-creative role of scientists, models, and data in enacting reality.
Encourages humility regarding the limits of current theories (as exemplified by the singularity).
Opens space for future innovations by recognising the symbolic nature of scientific frontiers.
Looking Forward: Relational Horizons Beyond Astrophysics
While this series focused on astrophysical phenomena, the relational approach has far-reaching implications for other domains — from quantum physics to social sciences, from language theory to the philosophy of science.
By foregrounding construal as constitutive, relational ontology invites us to rethink the very nature of reality, knowledge, and meaning — revealing the cosmos itself as a dynamic web of enacted possibilities.
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