The Crisis of Being

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Jun 27, 2025

James Filler, a philosopher and theologian known for his expertise in metaphysics and substance ontology, dives deep into the meaning crisis affecting contemporary thought. He explores the complex implications of substance ontology, critiques modern dualism, and champions a relational understanding of existence. Filler also discusses the themes of isolation and community in literature, offering insights on self-transcendence and divine connections. He critiques the decline of liturgical authority in Christianity, questioning the true accessibility of spiritual teachings.

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INSIGHT

Substance Ontology Enables Secularism

Substance ontology structurally favors autonomy and secularism by disconnecting from participatory relationality.
This framework makes transformative encounter and theosis unnecessary, promoting detached reason.

INSIGHT

Buffered Self Defends Autonomy

The buffered self arises as protection from feared heteronomy or demonic possession.
Autonomy is a defensive stance against losing control or being overwhelmed by the Other.

INSIGHT

Theonomy Grounds Self-Transcendence

True self-transcendence requires theonomy, which is relational identification with the source of being.
Self-fulfillment comes via transcendence in union with the world and God, not egoistic satisfaction.

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The Crisis of Being

James Filler is a philosopher, theologian, and leading voice in metaphysics and post-Cartesian thought, specializing in substance ontology, the meaning crisis, and relational models of reason. With a PhD in philosophy and expertise in ancient and contemporary ontology, Filler is the author of Heidegger, Neoplatonism, and the History of Being Relation as Ontological Ground and Substance Ontology and the Crisis of Reason. His work traces the genealogical roots of modern nihilism and skepticism while advancing a powerful case for relationality, participation, and non-discursive forms of knowing. As a teacher and scholar, he brings clarity and compassion to some of the most pressing philosophical and spiritual questions of our time.

James Filler: Academia.edu | Substance Ontology (Book)

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John Vervaeke is joined by philosopher and theologian James Filler to expose the hidden roots of the modern meaning crisis. Together, they trace a powerful philosophical arc from ancient substance ontology to today's widespread nihilism, skepticism, and isolation. James reveals how centuries of prioritizing "being" over "relation" have led to an inward collapse of reason, relationality, and the self. John and James unpack how non-discursive knowing, theosis, and participatory truth can restore wholeness beyond representational models of mind. They explore the role of liturgy, love, and vertical epistemology as practices that reawaken our connection to what is most real. This Lectern is a profound inquiry into what it means to become truly human—and how we might recover the sacred not through belief, but through transformation.

Notes:

(00:00) Welcome to The Lectern
(00:30) James Filler's Work
(02:30) Impact of Substance Ontology
(07:00) Cartesian Dualism and Its Consequences
(10:30) Critique of Modern Rationality
(13:30) Relationality and Knowledge
(16:00) The Role of Non-Discursive Reasoning
(24:00) Ethics and Becoming Truly Human
(40:30) Participatory Knowing and Liturgy
(42:00) Secularism and Substance Ontology
(44:30) The Buffered Self and Modernity
(48:00) Self-Transcendence and Theosis
(51:00) Critique of Substance Ontology

(01:00:00) The Role of Liturgy in Modern Churches