Introduction to Peace and Conflict V

Introduction into Transrational Peaces and Elicitive Conflict Transformation
UNESCO Chair for Peace Studies
University of Innsbruck
Wolfgang Dietrich

Axioms of Trans-rational Peaces

The universe is an interwoven net of connectivity.
There are no “things” but only networks and interrelations.
In nature there exist no static structures.
Peaces are a dynamic equilibrium.

We are energy (Einstein): E = MC²!

That the whole universe is a changing, interconnected structure is a concept that can be found across different disciplines. We are energy, and energy cannot be made or destroyed – only converted, or changed into a different type of energy. The concept of humanity as one living organ is in fact a universal one: from science and Einstein, to the South African humanist philosophy UBUNTU – “I am because we are.” How can this beautiful idea not invite for humanity towards others?

Furthermore, the dissolution of the idea of singular identity can be supported by contemporary neuro-scientific research as well. There is no single place in the brain, where an individual command centre, coordinator or seat of the Self can be located.  There is no awareness of oneself in the brain, it simply does not exist.

Thoughts and feelings are synchronizing and coherent responses of various distributed – but also related and selected – neurons in the brain to the external, not auto-created impulses. The ubuntu is thus true: there are no impulses without others and without impulses – there are no thoughts or the human being as we know it.

Since there is no convergent centre in the brain, representations of cognitive contents consist of the coordinated activity of large number of neurons that may be distributed across many different areas of the cerebral cortex. Therefore, when talking about “peaces in our brain”, it is conclusive that the brain is merely a processing organ, a tool of internal data management – not the seat of identity, but a permanent identity-maker (inner design that converts our external impulses to identity as know to us).