The Omniobject: A New Ground Zero
From an ontological perspective, these hyperobjects form the building blocks of reality. Whilst an anthropocentric view would suggest that the world is formed around the human perspective of it, object-oriented ontology (OOO) structures all objects as relationally equal in the construction and nature of being. To understand the critical nature of hyperobjects, first we examine their properties as Morton describes them:
- Viscosity: things that interact with hyperobjects are inherently entangled with them
- Temporality: Space and time are deformed around the hyperobject
- Non-locality: hyperobjects cannot be localised but can present local manifestations
- Phasing: hyperobjects occupy a high dimensional phase space where they seem to appear and disappear in local manifestations
- Interobjectivity: hyperobjects interact in a vast nonlocal space
The hyperobject is then essential to OOO, as the state of existence of any singular object is determined by the interaction of the hyperobjects around it. Thus, the hyperobject constructs reality. With reference to this line of thinking, I propose a new kind of hyperobject: the ‘omniobject’. This new type of hyperobject helps to define OOO by establishing a permanent object by which all others can be referenced: an objective point of view.
The omniobject redefines the properties of the hyperobject:
- Permeability: the omniobject interacts with all other objects it encounters and can saturate them.
- Ultra-viscosity: the omniobject is infinitely and inescapably entangled with all other objects.
- Local temporality: as a hyperobject, the omniobject cannot be constrained by traditional ideas of space and time. However, its boundaries can be defined with regards to its presence: if it is there, it is everywhere.
- Infinite locality: when within the bounds of an omniobject, it is universally manifested.
- Intraobjectivity: Interacts with and permeates other objects on a local- and non-local level.
With these new defined properties of the omniobject, the concept of OOO can be examined. The omniobject can form the objective perspective of OOO as it establishes both inter- and intraobjectivity on a nonlocal scale. As an omniobject is permeable, it forms the basis of the interobjective configuration space around which interactions can be defined.
Imagine a forest. This forest is a manifestation of an interobjective space. Remove all the animals that inhabit the forest: the forest will become unmoderated. Remove all the trees: there will be empty space on the land and all the animals will die. Remove all the water: the humidity in the air disappears, the trees and animals dehydrate, the soil turns to dust. Nothing remains. The omniobject is thus the foundation of the intraobjective relationship.