The constant forms: a ubiquitous and pragmatic ontogony

Abstract

According to Etienne Souriau, ontology must be grasped in light of an ontogonic perspective in which future is to be rebuilt permanently as an act. We show that “constant forms” support Souriau’s aim that ontogony must be both ubiquitous and pragmatic. Firstly, the “constant forms” support Souriau’s ubiquitous ontogony which aims to escape the reification due to the “law of localization”. Secondly, as far as they are considered as “action template”, the “constant forms” support Souriau’s pragmatic ontogony according to which “existence is an act”. Thirdly, Souriau characterizes as “constant forms” the morphems on which is based his synaptic vision (as opposed to the ontic vision) which values the dynamical role of transitions in order to create a future as an act, as it is required by the criteria of pragmatic ontogony.