# Understanding Autologos and the Field of Autology: A Primer for the ITPR Thesis **Document ID:** ITPR_AutologosPrimer_v1.1 **Version:** 1.1 (Revised to include Autology and full terminological rationale) **Author:** Rowan Brad Quni **Publication:** QNFO **Year:** 2025 **Parent Project:** ITPR - A New Way of Seeing: Perceiving Patterns from Autologos ## 1. Introduction: The Quest for a Foundational Term The "Information-Theoretic Perception and Reality" (ITPR) thesis, culminating in the monograph "A New Way of Seeing: Perceiving Patterns from Autologos" (Quni, 2025c), embarks on a radical reinterpretation of reality's fundamental nature. A critical step in this journey, detailed in the QNFO conceptual document "Lineage of Information-Based Physics" (Quni, 2025a), has been the search for a core ontological term precise enough to carry the weight of this new framework. Initial explorations within the ITPR lineage utilized "Information" as this central concept, attempting to reclaim its pre-Shannon, formative meaning (Latin "informatio" - giving form to; Oxford Latin Dictionary, n.d.). However, the pervasive modern understanding of "information" as data, signals, or Shannon entropy (Shannon, 1948) created persistent conceptual friction. This risked misinterpreting the thesis as merely another take on information processing, rather than a deeper claim about a self-generating, pattern-forming ontological principle. Alternatives like "Patterns" were considered but deemed potentially too passive, while the classical "Logos" (Peters, 1967), though rich, carries extensive and varied philosophical and theological baggage. This necessitated a new terminological strategy to ensure clarity and precision. This primer introduces **"Autologos"** as the chosen term for the fundamental ontological principle and **"Autology"** as the name for the interdisciplinary field dedicated to its study. It defines these terms, explains their etymological and conceptual underpinnings, and outlines their key characteristics, situating them as the core vocabulary for the ITPR thesis. ## 2. Etymology and Conceptual Roots of "Autologos" and "Autology" **"Autologos"** is a neologism derived from two Greek roots: * **"Auto-" (αὐτός - autos):** Meaning "self," "same," "spontaneous," "by oneself" (Liddell & Scott, 1940). This emphasizes self-generation, self-organization, self-articulation, and intrinsic dynamics. * **"Logos" (λόγος - logos):** Meaning "word," "reason," "account," "principle," "rational order," or "the structuring principle of the cosmos" (Liddell & Scott, 1940; Peters, 1967). This emphasizes inherent intelligibility, structure, rule-governed dynamics, and formative potential, echoing Aristotelian form (*eidos*) (Aristotle, trans. 1984). Thus, "Autologos" signifies a **fundamental, self-generating, self-structuring, and self-articulating rational order or principle that constitutes the ultimate nature of reality.** **"Autology"** is formed by combining: * **"Auto-" (αὐτός - autos):** "Self," referring here to Autologos as the object of study. * **"-logy" (-λογία):** A suffix derived from "Logos," denoting "the study of," "the science of," or "a discourse on." Thus, "Autology" signifies **the interdisciplinary study of Autologos** – its nature, manifestations, generative processes, and implications. ## 3. Core Definition of Autologos Within the ITPR thesis, "Autologos" is formally defined as: **Autologos: The fundamental, self-generating, self-structuring, and self-articulating rational principle of reality; the inherent order that both constitutes and describes itself through the dynamic unfolding of patterns, from which all discernible phenomena – including what is perceived as information (in its data/signal sense), physical laws, matter, energy, space, and time – emerge.** ## 4. Core Definition of Autology Within the ITPR thesis, "Autology" is formally defined as: **Autology: The interdisciplinary study of Autologos. Autology investigates the nature of Autologos as the fundamental, self-generating, self-structuring, and self-articulating rational principle of reality; its manifestations as diverse patterns; the processes by which it generates discernible phenomena (including information, matter, physical laws); and the epistemological and ontological implications of this framework for understanding perception, knowledge, and existence.** ## 5. Key Characteristics and Implications of Autologos (and its Study via Autology) The concept of Autologos, as the subject of Autology, possesses several key characteristics: * **Ontological Primacy:** Autologos is the ultimate ground of being. Matter, energy, space, time, and physical laws are emergent manifestations or descriptions of Autologos's behavior. * **Dynamic and Processual:** Autologos is an ongoing, active process of self-unfolding and self-organization, not a static substance. * **Rational and Rule-Governed (Meta-Logical):** Autologos operates according to inherent principles of coherence – a "meta-logic" deeper than human-formulated systems. Human logic and mathematics are tools developed to apprehend aspects of this rationality. * **Pattern Generating:** Autologos's primary mode of manifestation is through the generation of discernible, evolving patterns at all scales. * **Foundation for "Information" (Derivative Sense):** "Information" (as data/signals, e.g., Shannon, 1948; or "a difference that makes a difference," Bateson, 1972) arises when Autologos-generated patterns are registered or detected. Autologos is the source; this "information" is a derivative, map-level concept. * **Self-Articulation/Self-Description:** Autologos's dynamic unfolding *is* its self-expression. The patterns it generates are its "speech." This draws inspiration from Wheeler's (1990) "It from Bit" but emphasizes inherent self-actualization. * **Transcendence of Gödelian Limits (Conceptual Aspiration for Autologos):** While human formal systems (maps created through Autology) describing Autologos are subject to Gödelian limitations (Gödel, 1931), Autologos itself (the Territory-Generator) is conceived as complete and consistent in its own mode of being. ## 6. Distinctions from Other Concepts "Autologos" and "Autology" are chosen to be distinct from: * **Shannon Information:** Autologos is ontological; Shannon information is epistemological/communicational. Autology studies Autologos, not just Shannon information. * **Classical "Logos":** While "Autologos" draws on its richness, it specifies self-generation and aims for naturalistic compatibility, distinct from specific theological interpretations. Autology is the study of *this specific* Autologos. * **"Matter" as Primary Substance:** Matter is an emergent pattern complex of Autologos, a subject of study within Autology. * **"Mind" or "Consciousness" (as Primary):** Consciousness is a complex emergent phenomenon within Autologos-generated systems. Autology may study how consciousness emerges from Autologos. ## 7. Role in ITPR and Usage Guidelines for D001 The adoption of "Autologos" and "Autology" necessitates careful and consistent use in the D001 monograph, "A New Way of Seeing." * **Introduction:** Part I of D001 will deconstruct current paradigms, establishing the need for a new foundational principle *without naming Autologos or Autology*. Part II will then formally introduce "Autologos" as this principle, and may frame the overall inquiry as "Autology." * **Consistency:** "Autologos" will refer to the principle; "Autology" to its study. * **Clarity:** Relationships to derivative concepts (information, patterns, matter, laws) must be clear. * **Development of Implications:** The unique characteristics of Autologos must be leveraged to strengthen arguments. This primer establishes the foundational terminology for the ITPR project and the emerging field of Autology. ## References Aristotle. (1984). *The Complete Works of Aristotle: The Revised Oxford Translation* (J. Barnes, Ed.). Princeton University Press. (Original work c. 350 BCE). Bateson, G. (1972). *Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Collected Essays in Anthropology, Psychiatry, Evolution, and Epistemology*. Chandler Publishing Company. Gödel, K. (1931). Über formal unentscheidbare Sätze der Principia Mathematica und verwandter Systeme I. *Monatshefte für Mathematik und Physik, 38*(1), 173–198. Liddell, H. G., & Scott, R. (1940). *A Greek-English Lexicon* (9th ed.). Oxford University Press. Oxford University Press. (n.d.). Informatio. In *Oxford Latin Dictionary*. Peters, F. E. (1967). *Greek Philosophical Terms: A Historical Lexicon*. New York University Press. Quni, R. B. (2025a). *Lineage of Information-Based Physics* [Conceptual document]. QNFO. Quni, R. B. (2025b). *ITPR_AutologosPrimer_v1.0* [Project Knowledge Artifact]. QNFO. (Implicit reference to earlier version of this document). Quni, R. B. (2025c). *A New Way of Seeing: Perceiving Patterns from Autologos* [Forthcoming monograph manuscript]. QNFO. Shannon, C. E. (1948). A Mathematical Theory of Communication. *Bell System Technical Journal, 27*(3), 379–423. Wheeler, J. A. (1990). Information, physics, quantum: The search for links. In W. H. Zurek (Ed.), *Complexity, Entropy, and the Physics of Information* (pp. 3–28). Addison-Wesley.