Process-relational Philosophy: An Introduction to Alfred North Whitehead by C. Robert Mesle

by C. Robert Mesle

Process thought is the foundation for studies in many areas of contemporary philosophy, theology, political theory, educational theory, and the religion-science dialogue. It is derived from Alfred North Whitehead's philosophy, known as process theology, which lays a groundwork for integrating evolutionary biology, physics, philosophy of mind, theology, environmental ethics, religious pluralism, education, economics, and more.In Process-Relational Philosophy , C. Robert Mesle breaks down Whitehead's complex writings, providing a simple but accurate introduction to the vision that underlies much of contemporary process philosophy and theology. In doing so, he points to a "way beyond both reductive materialism and the traps of Cartesian dualism by showing reality as a relational process in which minds arise from bodies, in which freedom and creativity are foundational to process, in which the relational power of persuasion is more basic than the unilateral power of coercion."Because process-relational philosophy addresses the deep intuitions of a relational world basic to environmental and global thinking, it is being incorporated into undergraduate and graduate courses in philosophy, educational theory and practice, environmental ethics, and science and values, among others. Process-Relational A Basic Introduction makes Whitehead's creative vision accessible to all students and general readers.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Nonfiction, Metaphysics, Reference

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

C. Robert Mesle is a recognized authority on process thought and the author of the acclaimed Process Theology: A Basic Introduction (1993), the most widely read introduction to process theology. A professor and chair of the philosophy and religion department of Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, he received his Ph.D. from Northwestern University. He is a board member of the International Process Network and the China Project of the Center for Process Studies and serves on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Theology and Philosophy and Process Studies. He resides in Lamoni, Iowa.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just made it all the way through Whitehead's Process and Reality for the first time, I am in a position to say how very much I appreciate this book. Mesle's style is crisp and clear, and his authorial persona is kindly and confidence-inspiring. I highly recommend the book as a prequel or sequel to Whitehead's great work.

[Orville Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful and informative discussion of the Process-Relational, or Neoclassical, Philosophy that has developed during the 20th century due to the groundbreaking revision of traditional western abstract metaphysics, so influential in the post-Reformation linear-analytical thought. The foundation of the philosophy and this presentation is Alfred North Whitehead, but Mesle includes references to other prominent Process Philosophers of the 20th century and points out some of their variations.

Whitehead developed a revision of the classical Platonic-Aristotelian-Thomist western philosophy concept to recast God as a dynamic God. Slight corrections in some classical constructions of reality enabled this metaphysic to account for a full interaction of God with the whole of the physical universe. Whitehead conceived of God not in terms of Being but in terms of Becoming.

With this focus on event and relationships and a reality always in motion, Process Philosophy accommodates our modern scientific understanding of a universe that is dynamic, not static. The dynamics of quantum physics are seen as indicative of a living nad interactive God, rather than an abstract aloof principle.

This was especially true in the west, for the eastern churches maintained more of the eastern, Jewish concept of an active living God who fully interacted with the creation, and creation was an expression of God and his creativity. Eastern concepts of philosophy tended to be more integrated and holistic, relational in focus. Mesle aptly covers the primary distinctions and lays out the benefits Whitehead’s refreshing thought brings to our reflection on ultimate structures of reality.

Others develop more specifically Christian theistic forms of Process-Relational theologies, which more adequately reflected and accounted for an interactive, living God. Mesle explains well the traditional problems and hurdles Christian formal theologians tried to deal with and how the Process approach handles these problems, or in many cases solves the puzzle left by previous Scholastic concepts stuck in a static mode of thought.

The interactive concept of reality presented by Process-Relational philosophy has provided Christian theologians with metaphysical mechanisms to account for God both terms of the dynamic forces we observe and experience in our lives on earth around us teeming with life and the dynamic vision of the creator God in the biblical writings, portraying God as living and interactive with the physical universe.

The working concept for all Reality is becoming: change and processes of change. The static concepts of God brought over from the ancient pre-Christian Greek philosophers had long hampered the formal reflection of theology in the early centuries of the Gentile Christian movement. This process-relational concept of becoming is more compatible with the majority of cultural worldviews around the world, which are primariluy concrete-relational in understanding of reality.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesle's introduction to Whitehead's process philosophy is a particularly engaging and meaningful introduction that clearly takes learning and engagement with a reader who may be particularly new to this area of theory into account. As a risk professional who is particularly well studied in the Continental tradition and has no difficulty engaging Deleuze, Spivak, Derrida or Heidegger, I'm often frustrated that so much of the philosophical tradition has become a race to textual obscurity. High theory has established a tradition of near-unreadability which, while potentially impressing a handful of philosophy graduate students at a dinner party, has left philosophy with no capacity to effectuate meaningful influence and change upon spheres of practice where it most desperately needed.

Mesle's text not only avoids the high theory obscurantism, but furthermore moves clearly and comfortably with the reader through an ethic that is agnostic of philosophical traditions and their subsequent politics. There should be little difficulty for either analytical or Continental readers to engage this gentle but beneficial introduction, as should the thinking reader who isn't from a philosophical program pedigree but rather wandered in from another area of practice and experience having expressed curiosity in Whitehead's vital thinking.

I'd suggest that given the prevalence of different cultural approaches to thinking and faith, an approach to process philosophy subsequently requires the open curiosity, humility and appreciation for the multitude of constructions we thinking beings have remarkably created in our process of becoming. Process philosophy is not a space for a closed Cartesian mind, seeking ideals to will and impose upon others with force. As a Continental theorist who works in global capital and subsequently confronts remarkable ideological difference and distance on a daily basis, Dr. Mesle's text is one I valued and will heartily recommend to fellow thinkers who are interested in such an introduction to a vital and blooming area of thinking.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book. I came across Mesle on 'homebrewed Christianity' podcast and he seemed sincere and clear in his description of Process Thought. The book did not disappoint. I am not a student in Philosophy and a slow learner and this book was very understandable to me. North-Whitehead is very complex and his usage of words is quite different to normal. I started reading Sherburne's 'Key to Process and Reality' and was still out of my depth - this has bridged that gap. The other book I would recommend is Bruce Epperley's 'Process Theology - a guide for the perplexed' which does not quote or try to explain P&R but goes straight into Theological Interpretation. I would also recommend any of John Cobb's books as well as his questions and answers here.

[Paul Teed · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a readable and engaging introduction to Whitehead’s process philosophy, this is an outstanding option. The author has spent a long and successful career teaching philosophy and religion at the college level and his experience introducing complex ideas is used to great effect here. A.N. Whitehead’s Process and Reality is a notoriously difficult book with a technical vocabulary that can be bewildering to those without a sense of his larger purpose. Mesle provides an overview of the process-relational view of reality in plain language while placing its main components in the context of the history of philosophy. For those intending to tackle Whitehead’s magnum opus, there is an appendix explaining the technical terms needed to understand that work.

I highly recommend this book.

[Alaa Jerbi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry, Robert. I was excited to read your book; and with you promising me in the book’s introduction a theology of coherence and intuitiveness, I was eager to devour the book as quickly as I could.

But you began to lose me with your weak arguments for the materiality of the mind, turning a blind eye on all the evidence to the contrary that you choose — perhaps intentionally — to ignore to make your point. Attempting to refute and show the weaknesses of Descartes’ duality only to replace it with a materialistic naturalistic monism (if there’s such a thing) that suffers from the same gaps and begs the same questions as the try-hard arguments of the atheist camp was a turn off.

But that was not the "point of no return" for me, as I am well aware of the irrationality of throwing the baby with the bathwater in works of Philosophy. But Robert, taking your reductionism to justify abortion — claiming that what we call the soul is basically a bunch of bodily experiences — was the needle that broke the camel’s back. At that point, I said goodbye to you and your book.

If that is Process Theology, then I wholeheartedly reject it. If that is only Robert, then I’ll look elsewhere for a better introduction to this philosophy, one that could argue for PT within an ethical ground.

[Leena Dbouk]

It's a fun introduction to process relational philosophy.... For the more advanced philosophy reader I would suggest going to the original sources like Alfred North Whitehead but for those who are just getting into reading philosophical texts I think this does a good job of articulating the main tenets of process philosophy.

[Robin Tobin (On the back porch reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic

[Micah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, non-technical intro to Whitehead's metaphysical system. If you're interested in embarking on Process and Reality, read this first. While Mesle doesn't really dwell on the more technical details of Whitehead's thought such as what concrescence and the like actually consist of, if you read Whitehead's work, you can read Mesle's general descriptions into Whithead's rigorously detailed descriptions.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to a topic should leave you eager to actually delve into it. And C. Robert Mesle's just do that. The book is indeed written with a simple language and probably just scratches the surface of the many topics that Whitehead explores but I think this is the whole point of this endeavor. The simple language makes it easy to just flow through the book and by just giving brief introductory remarks of process-relational philosophy it helps in creating a map for the big picture. Now I feel curious to read Whitehead's works and I can go with a sense of what I will face.
From this book I can see that Whitehead's work is not something completely revolutionary, coming out of the blue, but instead it builds on a long philosophical that arguably starts with Heraclitus and the idea of the Universe is constant flow. It puts Becoming above Being, but not completely denying Being and Essence but questioning the impact that seeing the world through this perspective, tracing it back specifically to Plato, has negative consequences that could be overcome by looking through the Becoming looking glass.
Mesle's usage of Whitehead's metaphor of the Airplane makes me feel there is some dialectical movement in this type of philosophy and although Hegel is never explicitly mentioned I can't help but feel he is one of the streams that flow into the river of process relational philosophy.
The most important remarks I took were the idea of understanding the self as a bundle of experiences and feelings, seeing how this same mindset can be used to analyze even the experiences of sub-atomic particles (in a completely different scale, but still...) and how this shapes each individual as a process formed from everything that happened in the past and that their actions will be launched into the same stream of existence so they will also be a part of every future event.
The way this builds up into understanding power and the opposition it brings to the authoritative power of Being, which frames the more powerful as the one who affects without being affected, for me is key. The process approach would be to understand a relational power and look at power as being able to be affected and react to affect others in a way that they help construct you while you help them develop could have great impact in ethics and political thought.
Finally, it amazes me to see a philosophical project that understands that it is not merely an intellectual exercise but a rational adventure into understanding the self, its relations with its surroundings and how to affect them in a positive way. It helps frame new perspectives about physical and social sciences, both theoretical and applied.
A personal case that comes to my mind is the way I used to approach Differential Equations in college and the way that I grew to prefer and that now I see as being aligned to a process-relational view. At first, I was more worried about solving DEs as a part of an algorithm: memorizing steps and different cases and applying them to obtain perfectly analytical solutions. Although I realized that most cases weren't solvable like this, I tended to think of them just as abhorrent anomalies. My books would always have a small section about how to plot phase spaces to better view the solutions. I saw that as a cute nicety but not essential to solving the equations.
What I believe is a better and more process-relational understanding is to give a bigger focus to this graphical solutions and understanding that there are no anomalies, but they are all descriptions of how physical systems flow in time. The phase space plots are a window to these flows and wanting perfect analytical solutions would be to just look at a single digitally focused snapshot of the bigger picture that is the system itself.

[Luke Hillier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been intrigued by process thought for about a decade now, although my initial introductions were strictly theological and for the most part oriented around the interrelated models of God, power, and theodicy that emerge from process theology. I wanted to really dive in this summer and develop a more robust and comprehensive understanding of the more overarching philosophical framework, which made this book a perfect place to start! I was thoroughly impressed with Mesle's writing here, who managed to write this in a way that truly felt like he was guiding me so carefully through the ideas being explored, holding my hand at times and offering space to reflect and even wrestle with what's been presented (literally, there are numerous parts written directly to the reader encouraging their own assessment). I also appreciated the occasional flourish in language and imagery that he allows himself, which kept this from ever feeling overly dry or technical. I can imagine how, without these features, this could have been impenetrably dense, but instead it was genuinely so engaging and a true joy to read. Also this cover went so much harder than it had to, and for that we are grateful.

Although I'm left with some questions rippling out from the center, I found myself pretty "sold" by this articulation. It pokes plenty of holes in classical Platonic, Aristotelian, and Cartesian frameworks that have always struck me intuitively as askew and helped to offer language as to why. And, far more than offering a metaphysics that functions more coherently and intuitively (though, crucially, it does do that), process thought offers one that is tremendously more beautiful. I am particularly taken by the affirmations of ongoing becoming as the true state of "being" which allow for the inevitability of change and freedom, the inversion of classical notions of power and higher complexity as being related to our capacity to be affected others, the total and utter relationality making up the web of experiential reality, and the omnipresent model of God that emerges at the core of it all to perpetually aid and guide the infinite processes of novel becoming unfolding at every moment. Reading this was not only a satisfying and expansive intellectual experience, but one deeply nourishing for my spirituality and sense of relatedness to the world around me –– which I know was Mesle's truest aim in writing it.

[James R · Rating 1 out of 5]

I recommend avoiding Mesle and any of the Cobb Institute people who go over to China to setup CCP schools. Process centers have exploded in China since 2002. This book was written simply to be translated to Chinese, as was requested by CCP leadership. The Cobb Institute has images on their website that makes it look like some hand holding ecumenist secular group (who could oppose such a friendly looking group?), but this hides deeper motives for globalized centralized control, notably under CCP leadership.

The ideas of Whitehead have largely been abandoned by universities in the US (they've moved on to other things), but the Cobb Institute (and related groups like Center for Process Studies) has continued the work, because it works so well with the goals of the CCP. If not for the CCP, the Cobb Institute would not exist, it's purely Chinese funded.

Mesle is an atheist, Buddhist, and agent of the CCP (views that come up in this book, but are absent in Whitehead) who has co-opted the name "Whitehead" (nobody would read Mesle otherwise) in order to prop up his own political views and ambitions. This book has little to do with Whitehead's ideas, and has everything to do with Mesle's political ambitions in China. Just look how they're indoctrinating 5 year olds in China through these new "process" or "Whitehead" schools (why are children learning such complex philosophical ideas at 5 years old? reminds me of Catholics teaching "ex opere operato" to little children). The Cobb Institute is the main US agent working with the CCP. This is similar to how the Roman Empire used Jesus for their purposes or the Nazi government used Nietzsche and the concept of "root race philosophies" for their own purposes.

[Jan D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good introduction to process philosophy (I have not read whiteheads primary texts, though). I knew Whitehead as one of the authors of the Principia Mathematica, an attempt to build math from a basic set of simple axioms. Process-relational Philosophy, however, is much different than formal logic. It is a view on ‘reality’ based not on entities or platonistic forms but on process and change. Mesle does explain the ideas in a well readable way using examples, highlighting his own opinions and by quoting from Whiteheads work. The book includes an index of Whiteheads terminology and explanations, which will help to read Whiteheads texts.
Certainly a good choice if you want to have an alternative to a lot of ‘typical’ western philosophy which is distinct from the the continental ideas of e.g. Hegel, Heidegger and Satre (though not necessarily incompatible with their views)

[Michelle Wruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have even a passing interest in contemporary philosophy, this is a great place to start.

Whitehead’s main book “Process and Reality” is tough to get through but essential reading for anyone interested in the nature of reality and its implications for human life. Mesle presents Whitehead’s ideas in a way that I believe Whitehead would appreciate. They’re accessible and true to Whitehead’s spirit of exploration and conclusions. Mesle also does a good job of explaining why his work is revolutionary and how it impacts our daily lives.

[John Wessels · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very helpful introduction to the kind of philosophy that is essential in the world now. Alfred North Whitehead is the wellspring of a philosophical stream that offers relevance and hope to the issues we face. It is a postmodern constructive philosophy. It enables us to develop a truly progressive metaphysical worldview.

[George O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

a worthy introduction to an important subject

Process-Relational Philosophy by Mesle may give philosophy a good name in our science-saturated culture. Whitehead was a scientist before he turned to philosophy and his writings seek an integrated view of all human experience. Moreover, Mesle is as easy to read as Whitehead is difficult.

[AM · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent introduction to the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead that avoids using most of his highly specialised, repurposed language, though the appendix contains a few key words and their definitions.

[Knut Flatland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clear and easy-to-understand introduction to Alfred North Witehead's book Process and Reality, wich is very heavy stuff. It also contains a vocabulary and explanation of Withead's technical /philosophical terms wich is needed to read Process & Reality.

[Sam Bruskin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to the complex philosophy of Whitehead.

[DRugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful for framework for understanding process as opposed to being.

[Miguel Vian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and accessible introduction to the fascinating philosophy of Alfred Whitehead, which is in dire need in our contemporary society of alienated, atomized individuals.

[Luke Macey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and concise introduction to process philosophy

[L.E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

humble, comprehensive, & empathic

[Igor Capelari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esse livro me deixa relativamente em conflito. Não gosto de como os temas são apresentados como que para um não-filósofo, com uma certa superficialidade e redundância. Ao mesmo tempo, ele explicou os principais conceitos de Whitehead com tamnha faciliade que a minha nota não poderia ser menor.

[Patricia Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am a process-relational philosopher because everything I care about is in process and in relationships--even my ideas . . . the joy of life is in the journey." Bob Mesle begins his short, clearly-written introductory book with a deep and very personal conviction that a process-relational world view matters. By the time you finish the book, you will understand why, and probably agree. So much of what assaults our world today--from religious wars to environmental disaster--stems from a philosophy of Being rather than Becoming, from a view of top-down coercive power, and a sense that what is abstract is more important than what is going on right now in our lives. These ideas ultimately stem from the Greek philosophy of Being (Plato and Aristotle). While respecting the philosophy of Being, Mesle returns to another Greek philosopher Heraclitus, and takes us on an exciting journey into the world of Becoming through the process philosophy of A.N. Whitehead. Whether you are a beginning philosophy student or a general reader who desires a comprehensive, life-affirming world view, you will love this book. It is one of the most readable books on Whitehead to date. Mesle's two chapters on the process-relational concept of power--and why it matters--are especially captivating. The beautiful thing about Mesle's work, too, is his respect and appreciation for all kinds of process thinking--religious, nonreligious, theistic, and naturalist alike. Such philosophical hospitality may be rare, but Mesle is simply being true to the vision of process thought, for he says, "We need a coherent vision of our world, something that can engage people from many different scientific, cultural, philosophical, and religious perspectives." Mesle offers us an engaging portal into just such a comprehensive and hospitable world view, one that satisfies our hearts as well our minds.

-Patricia Adams Farmer, author of Embracing a Beautiful God: Tenth Anniversary Edition and featured author for the on-line magazine Jesus, Jazz, and Buddhism: Process Thinking for a More Hospitable World.

[Carson Fritz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a better introduction to process-relational philosophy in general than for Whitehead specifically, which is why I initially bought the book. I have been into people like Deleuze, Spinoza, and Simondon for a while, and I found a lot of the same ideas well represented in this volume. This is no surprise, since there are lines of influence between all of those people and whitehead, but as someone who had read some process philosophy but hadn't read whitehead, I can't technically say I "learned alot" from this book since the specific aspects of Whitehead were not too prominent (though you likely will learn a lot if you are new to it all). Don't get me wrong, there are quotes form Whitehead throughout every chapter, and he's by far the most prominently featured philosopher. But the actual content of the argument that Mesle makes is definitely centered around process philosophy as a general approach. He explores the approach by contrasting it with pivotal figures in the history of Western philosophy, mostly Hume and Descartes, which I actually found very helpful in deepening my understanding of what kinds of basic questions are at stake in metaphysics generally.

He also has a theology background, so there are references to theologians and articulations of a different approach to theorizing God. Although theology is not something I am very familiar with, I found these parts to be very compelling, and I don't think less "spiritual" readers would be turned off by it.

Overall, I'd say it was very solid little philosophy book. It's frankly impossible to call it inaccessible. I would say someone who is just interested in philosophy in general would do well to read this as a way to get familiar with some specific philosophical problems, rather than reading a "history of philosophy" or "greatest thinkers" type of book, which can sometimes be overwhelming in its scale.

[Alexandru Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

tare fainuta carte.
e o introducere tare faina (si usor de citit) in filosofia tarzie a lui whitehead - o incercare de a reintroduce metafizica / speculatia dupa aparitia filosofiei analitice.
pentru whitehead, totul poate fi interpretat in termeni de proces / devenire si relatie.
si toate conceptele lansate de el pornesc de la experienta cotidiana, apoi sunt extinse la un grad maxim de generalitate, apoi verificate din nou daca sunt aplicabile la experienta.
in unele momente pare un pic dogmatica.
in tot cazul, multe din teoriile prezentate aici confirma tot felul de intuitii fff intime de-ale mele.
partile care mi-au placut cel mai tare sunt cele care tin de 'puterea relationala'.
interpretarea comuna a puterii e cea de a putea afecta fara sa fii afectat la randul tau.
dar noi, prin insasi coprezenta noastra alaturi de alte "sectiuni ale lumii", suntem afectati de ele. si organismele sunt cu atat mai avansate cu cat mai capabile sunt sa fie afectate de ceea ce este in mediul lor.
si esti puternic in masura in care poti sa fii afectat de ele, poti sa intri in relatie cu ele si sa le re-orientezi fara sa le impui nimic si fara sa te lasi distrus de ele.
si asta e ceea ce se intampla in dragoste - esti dispus sa fii afectat, si sa actionezi impreuna cu fiinta pe care o iubesti.
si asta e, pentru Whitehead, ceea ce face Dumnezeu.
Dumnezeu experimenteaza ceea ce experimenteaza fiecare particica a lumii, fiecare electron si fiecare fiinta. si intelege. si sufera impreuna. si ofera sugestii, dar nu poate impune nimic. pentru ca ne iubeste.
o sa vad cum cresc in mine ideile astea :)

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful and gentle introductory text to Whitehead’s process philosophy in general. Great starting point for a complex thinker. Opens up for the reader processual notions of dynamic becoming over static being as ontological conditions.

[Sandy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction and makes some of the more technical lingo of process thought easier to understand.

[Dave Tilley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty clear introduction to the concepts of process relational thought. It's probably a bit too simplified. Not a bad thing though, given the volumes of jargon entailed in Whiteheads writing.