Metatheory—An Emerging New Theory

Many times, the post-modern age have rightly questioned, the so called, big theories; at the same time however the lack of a new type of, or comprehensive theories is an overwhelming hindrance to theoretical and practical researches. This entails the birth of unified theories at this point of advancement of science. The science of knowledge based society is a transdisciplinary thought anyway, while even the different disciplines have not yet formulated their own interdisciplinary or integrated theories.
However, the rapid growth in number of those scientific and post-scientific researches, which are pointing to the development of a metatheory, has been already started, e.g., theories of sciences, systems theories, theories of everything, integrated conceptions of natural sciences, quantum philosophies, comparative studies of religions, epistemological researches, consciousness studies, unifying conceptions of religion and science and so on.
There is no official definition of metatheory nor is it possible to give one. The process of understanding and integrating the knowledge of multiple disciplines generates a fundamentally new and different emergent knowledge (and reality). We may call it a new philosophy, a new science, a new theology, a new thinking, a new paradigm by its genre, and all together it is metatheory and /or metaphilosophy that is in ideal case a unified framework of philosophy, science, theology and art. The synthesis is both a prerequisite and a consequence of metatheory, which forces us to rethink all the partial knowledge areas as well.
The metatheory research group of the Institute of Strategic Research (Hungary) formed about one and a half years ago, which considered its first task to write and compile a joint volume on metatheory and metaphilosophy. The intention of the authors was that all the essays of the book together should show up the possible metatheory, and also its different alternatives.
Today normal science, post-normal science and post-science exist side by side in Euro-Atlantic science. Among the authors of our book there are such who does not like to leave normal science. There are such, who feels home in post-normal science, and also such researcher who would rather deny the alternative of post-normal science. While others are retrying to accomplish the necessary knowledge integration, prerequisite of metatheory, from every angel.
The authors without exceptions stand for transdisciplinary thought. Some come from natural sciences, and many come from social sciences. One of the authors engages itself in such a cognitive research, which is open to almost all directions of spirituality. While an another one is trying to bridge the gap between scientific and theological considerations. There are a traditional thinkers in the volume, and there are ones for whom traditions are not important. Few of the thinkers are postmodern authors; other scholars go even beyond the postmodern. They have, however, one thing in common: a shared commitment to high standard of theory. They all see dialogues with each other as a basic duty and opportunity.
Hungary has stepped forward with its cutting edge metatheory research internationally. When the physicist Enrico Fermi was asked (the famous Fermi paradox is named after him) if he believed in extraterrestrial beings, he answered: They are already here among us - and they are called Hungarians. This book may contribute to further strengthening this quaint guess.

New book titled “Metatheory, Metaphilosophy” out in Hungarian
in 24th October, 2005

English translation out probably in the beginning of 2006
Ordering information: adam.hamori@metaelmelet.hu