From System to Process: The Concept of Relations in Bertrand Russell and the Ontology of Individuation of Gilbert Simondon

• Published in: Философия и культура no. 7; pp. 13 - 31
• Main Author: Sayapin, Vladislav Olegovich
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2025
• ISSN: 2454-0757; 2454-0757
• DOI: 10.7256/2454-0757.2025.7.75031

The article explores the lesser-studied parallels between the philosophy of Bertrand Russell and the ontology of Gilbert Simondon, emphasizing their common shift from substantial-systemic thinking to processual thinking. The relevance of the research is due to the growing interest in contemporary philosophy and science towards processual ontologies, which serve as alternatives to classical substantialist models, as well as to the problems of individuation in complex systems. The novelty of the work lies in the attempt at a systematic comparison of Russell's concept of "relations" (developed in the context of the epistemological primacy of relations and neutral monism) and Simondon's theory of "individuation" (as a permanent process arising from the pre-individual field). The author demonstrates that, despite methodological differences, both thinkers criticize the notion of the predetermined individual-substance, bringing to the forefront the dynamics of relations or operations as the primary reality. The methodological basis of the article includes the following research methods: conceptual (categorical) analysis, textual analysis, comparative method, method of synthesis, and constructive modeling. The goal of applying these methods is not just to describe the views of Russell and Simondon, but to prove the thesis of their deep conceptual kinship within the framework of the "processual turn," as well as to show the specifics of their contribution to overcoming substantialism and to establish the heuristic value of their ideas for building a dynamic ontology and interdisciplinary research. The author argues that both approaches, by criticizing the static notion of the "individual" as a starting point, shift the focus to dynamic structures ("events" in late Russell, "operations" in Simondon) and the priority of becoming over being. At the same time, both thinkers offer powerful, albeit different, conceptual tools for understanding reality as a network of processes and becoming, which opens up prospects for interdisciplinary research in epistemology, philosophy of science, and complexity theory. This radical rethinking of ontological foundations from stable substances to fluid processes allows for overcoming the limitations of classical metaphysics, which is stuck in the dichotomies of subject/object and spirit/matter. As a result, the synthesis of Russell's and Simondon's ideas creates a heuristic platform: Russell's emphasis on the system of relations provides analytical precision for modeling complex networks, while Simondon's dynamic notion of continuous becoming introduces a key dimension of temporality and creative uncertainty.