Ontorics is a pioneering science dedicated to diagnosing and transforming systems by uncovering and engaging the ontological assumptions that shape their functioning. Based on the Moleka Grid, this science provides a methodological and epistemological framework for navigating systemic crises and designing sustainable interventions across social, political, ecological, and organizational domains. Ontorics integrates African relational philosophies, postcolonial thought, systems theory, and complexity science to establish a comprehensive approach to understanding the implicit premises of collective behavior. By operationalizing ontological diagnostics, Ontorics enables practitioners to anticipate systemic risks, foster emergent innovation, and catalyze holistic transformation.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: The Need for Ontological Diagnostics
- 2. The Genesis of Ontorics
- 2.1 Systems Theory: From Mechanisms to Emergence
- 2.2 African Relational Philosophies: Ontology as Relational Being
- 2.3 Postcolonial Epistemology: Decolonizing Diagnostics
- 2.4 Cognitive & Organizational Sciences: Mapping Mental Models and Paradigms
- 2.5 Polycrises: The Imperative for Ontological Diagnostics
- 2.6 Conceptual Integration: Toward a Unified Diagnostic Science
- 2.7 Conclusion: A New Diagnostic Frontier
- 3. The Moleka Grid: Structure and Function
- 3.1 Origins and Intellectual Lineage
- 3.2 Layer One: The Symptomatic Level
- 3.3 Layer Two: The Paradigmatic Level
- 3.4 Layer Three: The Ontological Level
- 3.5 Operationalizing the Moleka Grid
- 3.6 Integration with Existing Models
- 3.7 Case Illustrations
- 3.8 Philosophical and Epistemological Foundations
- 3.9 Conclusion: The Power of the Grid
- 4. Core Concepts of Ontorics
- 5. Epistemology and Paradigms of Ontorics
- 5.1 Epistemology as a Constitutive Force and the Relational Nature of Knowledge
- 5.3 Postcolonial, Indigenous, and Reflexive Foundations of Ontological Responsibility
- 5.4 Ontorics as a Transdisciplinary Epistemic Architecture
- 5.5 Object, Method, and Methodology of Ontorics: Formalizing Ontological Diagnostics as a Scientific Practice
- 5.6 Validation, Rigor, and Scientific Legitimacy of Ontorics
- 6. Distinctions Between Ontorics and Other Sciences
- Introduction: Ontorics in the Landscape of Knowledge
- 6.1 Ontorics and Systems Science
- 6.2 Ontorics and Complexity Science
- 6.3 Ontorics and Futures Studies
- 6.4 Ontorics and Innovation Studies
- 6.5 Ontorics and Philosophy
- 7. Applications and Case Studies of Ontorics
- 7.1 Introduction to Applications
- 7.2 Case Study: Climate Adaptation and Sustainability Planning
- 7.3 Case Study: Innovation Ecosystems
- 7.4 Case Study: Organizational Transformation
- 7.5 Case Study: Artificial Intelligence Governance
- 7.6 Synthesis of Applications
- 7.7 Integrative Insights and Comparative Analysis of Case Applications
- 8. Institutionalization of Ontorics
- 9. Ethics and Planetary Considerations in Ontorics
- 9.1 Ethics as Ontological Structure Rather Than Normative Add-On
- 9.2 Relational Responsibility and Distributed Ethics
- 9.3 Planetary Ethics and Ontological Misalignment
- 9.4 Ethics, Technology, and the Future of Systemic Intelligence
- 10. Ontorics as a Civilizational Science
- 11. Ontorics and the Future of Knowledge, Governance, and Planetary Stewardship
- 12. General Conclusion – Ontorics and the Future of Scientific Inquiry and Planetary Governance
Objectives & Themes
This work introduces Ontorics as a pioneering science focused on diagnosing and transforming systems by uncovering and engaging the deep ontological assumptions that shape their functioning. Its primary objective is to provide a comprehensive methodological and epistemological framework for navigating systemic crises and designing sustainable interventions across various domains.
- Uncovering ontological assumptions in complex systems.
- Integrating African relational philosophies and postcolonial thought.
- Operationalizing diagnostics through the Moleka Grid.
- Designing culturally sensitive and ethically grounded interventions.
- Anticipating systemic risks and fostering emergent innovation.
- Transforming collective behavior and catalyzing holistic change.
Excerpt from the Book
4. Core Concepts of Ontorics
Ontorics, as conceived by Pitshou Moleka, represents a revolutionary approach to understanding and transforming complex systems. It is not merely a framework for system analysis or intervention design; it is a science dedicated to the discovery, articulation, and operationalization of ontological assumptions—the invisible logics and beliefs that shape systemic behavior across social, ecological, and technological domains. In an era defined by polycrises—simultaneous, interconnected disruptions spanning governance, climate, technology, and socio-economic systems—conventional diagnostics, which focus largely on measurable outcomes or structural inefficiencies, are profoundly insufficient. They fail to account for the deeper assumptions that inform how actors conceive of reality, define agency, and determine what constitutes legitimate knowledge. Ontorics seeks to fill this gap by foregrounding ontology as both a diagnostic lens and an interventional axis, enabling practitioners to move beyond superficial solutions toward systemic, ethical, and adaptive transformation. Central to this endeavor are five interrelated concepts: ontological blind spots, relational intelligence, emergent transformation, the distinction between paradigm and ontology, and cultural-epistemic mapping. Each is a cornerstone of the science, integrating philosophical grounding, empirical observation, and methodological rigor.
The first and perhaps most fundamental concept is that of ontological blind spots. These blind spots represent the unarticulated assumptions that constrain perception, decision-making, and systemic performance. Unlike gaps in data or technical knowledge, ontological blind spots are epistemic and ontic in nature: they shape what actors perceive as real, what problems are recognized as legitimate, and what courses of action are deemed possible or desirable. In urban governance, for instance, the persistent inefficiencies observed in cities such as Kinshasa, Lagos, or Nairobi cannot be adequately explained by resource scarcity, infrastructural deficits, or administrative incapacity alone. Field studies reveal that informal social networks, communal norms, and culturally embedded practices of space and mobility exert a formative influence over systemic behavior. Policies designed without accounting for these ontologies frequently fail, not because of flawed implementation but because they misinterpret the very structure of reality in which local actors operate. In one striking example, road expansion projects in Kinshasa aimed at alleviating congestion were repeatedly undermined by informal economic activities, such as market traders using public spaces for commerce and kinship-based transport networks that operated outside official planning frameworks. Conventional diagnostic tools treated these patterns as anomalies, whereas Ontorics interprets them as manifestations of ontological logics that govern how urban communities engage with infrastructure and authority (De Boeck & Plissart, 2014; Moleka, 2025a). By making these assumptions visible, Ontorics allows practitioners to reframe interventions in a manner that is coherent with the lived realities of system participants, thus transforming blind spots into leverage points for systemic change.
Closely linked to the identification of ontological blind spots is the concept of relational intelligence, which Moleka situates at the intersection of epistemology, ethics, and practical cognition. Relational intelligence is the capacity to perceive, interpret, and act upon the intricate web of interdependencies that constitute a system. It goes beyond conventional problem-solving, which often isolates variables or actors, to encompass an understanding of how relationships, networks, and feedback loops shape outcomes across scales. Relational intelligence is fundamentally ethical: recognizing interdependence entails responsibility, accountability, and the capacity to act in ways that promote collective well-being. In African philosophical traditions, particularly Ubuntu, relationality is not merely descriptive but normative, asserting that human existence is defined through communal relationships—“I am because we are” (Mbiti, 1969; Ramose, 2015).
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: The Need for Ontological Diagnostics: This chapter introduces the concept of Ontorics, highlighting the inadequacy of traditional diagnostic approaches in addressing complex systemic crises by failing to interrogate deep ontological assumptions.
2. The Genesis of Ontorics: This section explores the intellectual evolution of Ontorics, mapping its foundations in systems theory, African relational philosophies, postcolonial epistemologies, and cognitive & organizational sciences, emphasizing its necessity in an era of polycrisis.
3. The Moleka Grid: Structure and Function: This chapter details the Moleka Grid as the operational core of Ontorics, outlining its three layers (symptomatic, paradigmatic, ontological) for diagnosing deep assumptions that sustain systemic patterns and enabling transformative interventions.
4. Core Concepts of Ontorics: This chapter elaborates on five central concepts of Ontorics: ontological blind spots, relational intelligence, emergent transformation, the distinction between paradigm and ontology, and cultural-epistemic mapping, as cornerstones for systemic change.
5. Epistemology and Paradigms of Ontorics: This section asserts that epistemology actively shapes systemic reality and knowledge is relational, embedded, and emergent, distinguishing Ontorics from reductionist approaches and advocating for ontological reflexivity and epistemic plurality.
6. Distinctions Between Ontorics and Other Sciences: This chapter positions Ontorics within the scientific landscape, demonstrating its unique focus on ontology as a primary analytic object that complements and critiques systems science, complexity science, futures studies, innovation studies, and philosophy.
7. Applications and Case Studies of Ontorics: This chapter showcases the practical deployment of Ontorics across diverse domains like climate adaptation, innovation, organizational change, and AI governance, illustrating its capacity for integrative, ethically grounded interventions.
8. Institutionalization of Ontorics: This chapter discusses how Ontorics is being institutionalized through academic programs, research labs, professional certification, and policy integration, aiming to cultivate ontological literacy and systemic ethics.
9. Ethics and Planetary Considerations in Ontorics: This section argues that ethics are an ontological structure, not an add-on, emphasizing relational responsibility, distributed ethics, and planetary ethics to address misalignments in human-nature relations and technology.
10. Ontorics as a Civilizational Science: This chapter frames Ontorics as a civilizational science that reconfigures the temporal horizon of inquiry, reframes crises as ontological revelations, and integrates diverse knowledge systems for planetary flourishing.
11. Ontorics and the Future of Knowledge, Governance, and Planetary Stewardship: This chapter concludes by asserting Ontorics as a decisive shift in knowledge systems, positioning ontology as a governable dimension of inquiry for conscious co-creation of civilization.
12. General Conclusion – Ontorics and the Future of Scientific Inquiry and Planetary Governance: The final conclusion reiterates that Ontorics is a profound reorientation of science, capable of diagnosing and redesigning ontological foundations to address polycrises and foster adaptive, coherent planetary governance.
Keywords
Ontorics, Ontological Diagnostics, Systems Transformation, Moleka Grid, Relational Philosophies, Postcolonial Epistemology, Complexity Science, Polycrises, Emergent Innovation, Governance, Planetary Stewardship, Ethical Transformation, Ontological Assumptions, Relational Intelligence, Cultural-Epistemic Mapping
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work generally about?
This work introduces "Ontorics," a pioneering science focused on diagnosing and transforming complex systems by uncovering and engaging their underlying ontological assumptions, rather than just addressing symptoms.
What are the central thematic fields?
The central thematic fields include ontological diagnostics, systems theory, African relational philosophies (like Ubuntu), postcolonial thought, complexity science, and their applications to governance, knowledge, and planetary stewardship.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to develop a scientific framework that allows practitioners to identify the deep ontological premises of collective behavior to anticipate systemic risks, foster innovation, and catalyze holistic transformation, especially in the face of complex global crises.
Which scientific method is used?
Ontorics employs "ontological diagnostics," a transdisciplinary and multi-epistemic method operationalized through the "Moleka Grid," which analyzes symptomatic, paradigmatic, and ontological layers of systemic reality.
What is covered in the main part?
The main part of the work covers the genesis of Ontorics, the structure and function of the Moleka Grid, its core concepts, its epistemology and paradigms, distinctions from other sciences, practical applications through case studies, its institutionalization, and its ethical and planetary considerations.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms characterizing the work include Ontorics, ontological diagnostics, systems transformation, Moleka Grid, relational philosophies, postcolonial epistemology, complexity science, polycrises, emergent innovation, and planetary stewardship.
What is the Moleka Grid and how does it function?
The Moleka Grid is the core analytical instrument of Ontorics, operationalizing a multi-layered diagnostic approach. It traverses three interlinked layers of systemic reality—symptomatic, paradigmatic, and ontological—to trace systemic behaviors to their foundational assumptions and identify hidden leverage points for transformation.
How does Ontorics differentiate itself from traditional systems science?
Ontorics extends traditional systems science by explicitly integrating ontological inquiry, moving beyond merely analyzing how components interact or identifying feedback loops to interrogate the deep assumptions about being, agency, and relationality that make a system intelligible in the first place, and by institutionalizing reflexivity as a central methodological requirement.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Pitshou Moleka (Autor:in), 2026, Ontorics: The Science of Ontological Diagnostics, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1685024
