The 8 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

A detailed model adding dimensions of practitioner community and relationship to science. Axis 1: Testable-Untestable. Axis 2: Compatible-Incompatible. Axis 3: Experiential-Experimental. Axis 4: Subjective-Objective. Axis 5: Explained-Mysterious. Axis 6: Traditional-Novel. Axis 7: Insiders-Outsiders (studied by believers vs. studied by skeptics). Axis 8: Integrative-Separatist (seeks integration with science vs. rejects scientific worldview). These eight axes create 256 parascience positions. Psychedelic research was outsider, integrative, testable, potentially compatible—and is becoming mainstream. UFOlogy is often insider (believers doing research), separatist (distrust of official science), testable in principle, incompatible (if aliens are here), mysterious, novel. The 8 Axes demonstrate that parascience isn't just about claims—it's about communities and their relationship to the scientific establishment.

The 8 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "UFO research and psychedelic research are both parascience, right? The 8 Axes show the difference: psychedelic research is integrative (wants to work with science), outsider (now insider), testable, compatible. UFOlogy is separatist (distrusts science), insider (believers only), testable but failing, incompatible (if real, it's revolutionary). Same label, completely different trajectories."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 12 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

An ultra-fine-grained model adding dimensions of cultural context and cognitive style. Building on the 8 Axes, we add: Axis 9: Universal-Cultural (claims hold across cultures vs. culturally specific). Axis 10: Empirical-Interpretive (relies on data vs. relies on meaning-making). Axis 11: Literal-Metaphorical (claims are factually true vs. true as metaphor). Axis 12: Practical-Contemplative (aims at intervention vs. aims at understanding). These twelve axes generate 4096 parascience positions. Reiki is testable (and fails tests), incompatible, experiential, subjective, mysterious (to believers), traditional, insider, separatist (often), cultural (Japanese origin), interpretive (energy work as meaning), metaphorical (practitioners may not mean literal), practical (aims to heal). Astrology is testable (fails), incompatible, experimental in principle, objective (would work for anyone), explained (no mechanism), ancient, insider, separatist, cross-cultural, interpretive, literal to believers, practical (guides decisions). The 12 Axes reveal the rich texture of parascience—different phenomena, different purposes, different relationships to evidence and meaning.

The 12 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You want to dismiss all parascience with one argument. The 12 Axes show why that fails: Reiki functions as metaphorical, interpretive, practical healing—testing it literally misses the point. Astrology claims to be literal, objective, testable—and fails those tests. Same parascience label, completely different relationships to truth. One size fits none."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 16 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum

The ultimate model, adding the final dimensions of social function and existential significance. Building on the 12 Axes, we add: Axis 13: Explanatory-Comforting (aims to explain phenomena vs. aims to provide comfort/meaning). Axis 14: Transformative-Confirmatory (challenges worldview vs. reinforces existing beliefs). Axis 15: Communal-Private (shared practice vs. individual exploration). Axis 16: Dangerous-Harmless (potential for harm vs. benign). These sixteen axes generate 65,536 potential positions—enough to capture every parascientific phenomenon, every spiritual tradition, every fringe inquiry. The 16 Axes reveal that parascience isn't a single thing to be accepted or rejected—it's a vast landscape of human inquiry operating alongside science, serving different needs, making different claims, offering different gifts and dangers. Some parascience is testable and failing—that's pseudoscience. Some is untestable by nature—that's spirituality. Some is testable and promising—that's emerging science. Some is metaphorical and meaningful—that's poetry dressed as fact. Some is dangerous—cults, anti-science movements. Some is harmless—personal spiritual practice. The 16 Axes don't tell you what to believe—they give you language to ask better questions. What kind of parascience is this? What are its axes? What does it claim, what does it offer, what does it risk? The answers aren't one-dimensional—and neither is the inquiry.

The 16 Axes of the Parascience Spectrum "You want to know if parascience is valid. The 16 Axes ask: which parascience? What are its coordinates? Testable? Compatible? Experiential? Subjective? Explained? Traditional? Insider? Integrative? Universal? Empirical? Literal? Practical? Explanatory or comforting? Transformative or confirmatory? Communal or private? Dangerous or harmless? Sixteen questions, sixteen answers, and only then can you even ask about validity. And the answer won't be one word—it'll be sixteen coordinates in a vast space of human knowing. That's not relativism—that's just respecting the complexity of how we seek meaning, truth, and healing beyond the lab."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 2 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

A foundational model for understanding the nature of reality along two fundamental dimensions. The first axis runs from Material (reality consists of physical stuff—matter, energy, particles) to Ideal (reality consists of ideas, forms, consciousness—mind stuff). The second axis runs from Objective (reality exists independent of observers) to Subjective (reality is constructed by or dependent on observers). These two axes create four basic metaphysical positions: material-objective (scientific realism), material-subjective (some interpretations of quantum mechanics), ideal-objective (Platonism), ideal-subjective (solipsism, some idealism). The model reveals that "what is real?" isn't one question—it's a choice between fundamental orientations toward the nature and locus of existence.

The 2 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You think the table is just obviously real. The 2 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality ask: real as in material? Yes. Real as in objective? Probably. But idealists say the table is real as an idea in consciousness. Subjective idealists say it's real only in your mind. Same table, four different realities. The axes don't tell you who's right—they tell you what you're even arguing about."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

An expanded model adding two crucial dimensions to the basic framework. Axis 1: Material-Ideal (stuff vs. mind). Axis 2: Objective-Subjective (independent vs. dependent). Axis 3: Absolute-Relative (reality is one way for everyone vs. reality varies with perspective). Axis 4: Deterministic-Indeterministic (everything is caused vs. some things are random or free). These four axes create sixteen metaphysical positions. Classical physics assumes material, objective, absolute, deterministic. Quantum mechanics suggests material, objective (debated), relative (to measurement), indeterministic. Idealism might be ideal, objective (if minds share ideas), absolute, indeterministic (if mind is free). The 4 Axes reveal that metaphysical debates often confuse these dimensions—arguing about determinism when the real disagreement is about objectivity.

The 4 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You think free will is the only issue. The 4 Axes show it's deeper: are you material or ideal? Objective or subjective? Absolute or relative? Deterministic or free? Four axes, sixteen positions, and free will is just one. You can be a materialist who believes in free will (somehow) or an idealist who's a determinist (strange but possible). The axes give you the full space of possibilities."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 6 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

A comprehensive model adding dimensions of structure and access. Axis 1: Material-Ideal. Axis 2: Objective-Subjective. Axis 3: Absolute-Relative. Axis 4: Deterministic-Indeterministic. Axis 5: Continuous-Discrete (reality is smooth vs. pixelated/quantized). Axis 6: Manifest-Hidden (reality is as it appears vs. reality is deeper than appearances). These six axes generate sixty-four metaphysical positions. Physics suggests material, objective, relative, indeterministic, discrete (quantum), hidden (underlying math). Everyday experience suggests material, objective, absolute, deterministic, continuous, manifest. The 6 Axes reveal that science and common sense occupy very different positions—and that's why they conflict.

The 6 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You trust your senses. The 6 Axes show why physics disagrees: your senses say continuous, manifest, absolute. Physics says discrete, hidden, relative. Same reality, completely different axes positions. Neither is wrong—they're just describing different levels. The axes help you see why the conflict isn't about facts—it's about which axes you're using."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality

A detailed model adding dimensions of time and causality. Axis 1: Material-Ideal. Axis 2: Objective-Subjective. Axis 3: Absolute-Relative. Axis 4: Deterministic-Indeterministic. Axis 5: Continuous-Discrete. Axis 6: Manifest-Hidden. Axis 7: Temporal-Eternal (reality is in time vs. outside time). Axis 8: Causal-Acausal (everything has a cause vs. some things are uncaused). These eight axes create 256 metaphysical positions. The block universe of special relativity is material, objective, absolute (spacetime is absolute), deterministic, continuous, hidden (fourth dimension not manifest), eternal (all times equally real), causal. Experienced time is temporal, causal, manifest—and conflicts with the block universe. The 8 Axes demonstrate that the "nature of time" debate is really about multiple axes simultaneously.

The 8 Axes of the Spectrum of Reality "You think time is simple. The 8 Axes show otherwise: is time real or illusion? Is it continuous or discrete? Is everything simultaneous (eternal) or flowing (temporal)? Is it causal or acausal? Four axes just for time. And that's before you get to the other four axes about matter, mind, objectivity. Time isn't simple—time is eight questions disguised as one."

by Dumu The Void February 25, 2026