Hi James - thanks for the nod to Abstractism (folks, in case you're wondering, I've been writing on these topics for years, and it was just a month or so ago in conversation with a friend that the word "Abstractism" popped up on its own!)

SUch an interesting observation about the pervasiveness of mechanical materialism (or Abstractism) in journalism and in the world of science.

I think of thousands of people I worked with as a clinical psychologist, there's hardly one whose mind is not pervaded by such views.

I had the challenge of approach the management of physical pain via psychological means (mindfulness, in particular - which is itself subject to all kinds of abstract/mechanistic assumptions).

"But my pain is not in my head, it's real."

Just take a moment and consider that - suddenly the average person is expressing ontological views. Pain is not "real" unless it's "physical" (meaning, what can be measured and what can be conceived of as tangible, solid, "in the body."

So I'd hold an imaginary knife in one hand, and with the other I'd pretend to do an operation where I severed the nerves at one of their wrists.

Then I "plunge" the imaginary knife into the palm of their hand, and say, "No brain, no pain."

This mechanical image was enough to convince them that if I could change how their brain was functioning, it would affect their perception of pain. They'd always be particularly impressed if I added, "And research shows that the practices we're doing can not just affect your perception of pain, but cause physiological changes in the painful areas of the body."

In other words, we're having a philosophic discussion about the nature of pain, the brain, the body and Reality.

My other favorite topic where. mechanistic Abstractism is the rule of the day is weight loss. If you dare to suggest that someone might have ANY choice regarding food intake, first you're accused of blaming, shaming and being horrifically judgmental.

Then you'll be subject to a lecture (seriously, go to any online discussion regarding weight and see the professorial lectures on these topics) on the fact that the latest neuroscience shows we have no capacity to exert our will with regard to what we eat (or drink,, or you would assume by implication, what we write in online comments).

Now, of course, at the same time the commenter is divesting themselves of any responsibility for their behavior regarding what they put in their mouths, they absolve themselves of any responsibility for what they write AND hold you wholly responsible for your blaming, shaming, judgmental comments suggesting they might not be complete automatons!

Welcome to the post-truth transhuman world of abstractist/mechanistic materialism!)