Comparative analytics of empirical ontologies of A. N. Whitehead and B. Latour

The article defines and problematizes the zones of influence of A.N.Whitehead's philosophy of the process on actor-network theory and philosophy of modes of existence of B.Latour. Analytical procedures are implemented in the empirical field and touch upon such important topics as: changing the direction of the research vector from being to flux, revealing the structure of empirical experience, understanding the processual nature of the event, defining zones of transitions between events, etc. The study is conducted consistently at two levels: the level of eventfulness and the level of value trajectories. The following thesis is put forward as a working hypothesis: two types of flux in Whitehead– "concrescence" and "transition"– are correlated with Latour's the concepts actor-network and trajectories of modes of existence. In addition, regions of conceptual differences between the two empirical ontologies are revealed. The absence of a potential area of eternal objects in the actor-network theory is the main one. Latour's elimination of eternal objects, which are of primary importance in Whitehead's philosophy, brings his ontological project to the level of actual eventfulness and confronts the need to search for means that provide networks with repeatability, sustainability and stability. Turning to Latour's late project– the philosophy of modes of existence– shows that the area of the potential, taken beyond the framework of actor-network theory, nevertheless appears in his new metaphysical project. According to the author of this article, these are value modal trajectories. In conclusion, a suggestion is made that value modal trajectories can be compared with the category of the virtual in the philosophy of J.Deleuze.

empirical ontology, philosophy of process, actor-network theory, philosophy of modes of existence