Algosphere - An enterprise about suffering

ALGOSPHERE

An enterprise about suffering

ALGONOMY : THE WORK AREA CONCERNED WITH SUFFERING

All major spheres of human activity must deal with suffering, in their own ways:

politics, religion, healthcare, social affairs, economy, law, art, literature, philosophy, ethics, the news, environment, education, science, history, war, crime, work, sport, interpersonal relationships, personal life, etc.

Other fields, that are more specialized, have to do particularly with suffering, though their first objects of concern are something else. Such are for example:

medicine, social service, social security, economic development aid, human rights protection, animal welfare, judicial punishment, infliction of torture, disaster relief, certain parts of biological or psychological or social sciences, etc.

So, there are many areas of activity that deal with suffering in relation to something else, to the State, or God, or health, or welfare, or wealth, or justice, etc. As a matter of fact, however, no area deals with suffering as such, as its own main subject of interest. Consequently, if nowadays suffering in the world is still going on out of control, admittedly, despite an extremely widespread concern about it since millennia, it might be because it has been impossible until now to work on suffering within an overall framework that is proper to it.

Then, an obvious idea is proposed here, which is to develop, alongside the other areas mentioned above, a whole new sphere of work, an additional and quite different approach to the world and its problems, a new domain of activity dealing with suffering itself and with all that is related to suffering.

It is suggested to name algonomy the work area concerned with suffering, or the sphere of activity dealing systematically with the knowledge and management of suffering. Algonomy comes from two ancient Greek words: algos, which means pain or suffering, and nomos, which evokes the notions of domain, management, and knowledge. It should be noted that the word pain is often used as a synonym of suffering, and that the word suffering is used here in a broad sense for referring to any felt unpleasantness.

As a sphere of interest, and a field of theoretical and practical activity, algonomy embraces everything that has to do with suffering, physical or mental, human or animal. It pertains to a huge variety of domains, more particularly to biology, psychology, philosophy, religion, health, justice, social services, politics. However, algonomy is clearly distinct. It is concerned specifically, universally, and exclusively with suffering. In consequence, for distinguishing between an algonomic activity and any other activity about suffering, the following formula might be useful: an activity is algonomic if it deals with suffering, the whole of suffering, and nothing but suffering.

As a frame of work, algonomy offers novelties that seem indispensable:

A methodical approach framework for dealing with suffering in a general, universal, systematic, well-ordered, permanent manner, and for dealing with it as an object of first concern, subordinate to no other.

A theoretical learning framework for studying all that pertains to suffering and its management, as well as for developing skills that are related to this kind of knowledge. It is suggested to name algoscience the science of suffering, that is to say the discipline concerned with the knowledge and management of the phenomenon of suffering.
A strategical coordination framework for planning as a whole the collective management of suffering.
A practical action framework for carrying out one-off or structural interventions that the organized management of suffering may require.

ALGOSPHERE PROJECTS

Algosphere is an enterprise that carries out research, communication and practical action projects about suffering, especially with the aim of developing a new work area dedicated to the knowledge and management of suffering.

Information on the context where the Algosphere enterprise is taking place, and where the algonomy idea comes from, may be found on the personal page of Robert Daoust.

Algosphere projects are presently the followings. Suggestions for new projects are welcome. English is the main language used until now in these projects, but other languages may be used if required.

Internet Website for Promoting Algonomy — This project consists in using algosphere.org as a medium for the advancement of algonomy.

Setting in Motion a Collective Management of Suffering — This project consists in starting up an organized mastery over the phenomenon of suffering by taking part in certain concrete practical actions that stop, reduce, or prevent occurrences of excessive suffering, and by formally bringing those actions to lie within the framework of algonomy. See Setting in Motion a Collective Management of Suffering.

Algonomic Association — This project consists in establishing a nonprofit organization with the mission to further a sufficient collective mastery over suffering. In order to found that association on a sound basis, it takes at least three persons who are ready to collaborate within an algonomic framework. Interested individuals may write to info@algosphere.org.

The following projects are presently on the back burner :

Introduction to Algoscience — This project consists in producing, on Algosphere website and eventually as a book, a document that presents the first elements of a new discipline concerned with suffering: see Introduction to Algoscience.

Review of Precursor Works for an Algonomy — This project consists in furthering the development of algonomy through collaborative editing of texts that review works figuring under the list of Precursor Works for an Algonomy. The idea, being carried out at Algonomy — Review of Precursor Works, is to elaborate an algonomy discourse that will have better chances to be a founding one because it will be connected with works existing already in the present written culture.

Collaboration to Wikipedia About Suffering — This project consists in collaborating to Wikipedia encyclopedia for raising to the best quality the articles relative to Suffering. It is hoped that algonomy will benefit from Wikipedia as a very busy knowledge place, and that reciprocally Wikipedia will benefit from algonomy's encyclopedic viewpoint on suffering.

Blogs About Suffering — This project consists in establishing solidly at least one algonomy-inspired blog. Posts are focusing mainly on various documents and events where people speak of suffering as a primary concern. The intended goal is to develop algonomy by linking up with people who are the most likely to benefit from it or to contribute to it. A blog in English About Suffering, and a blog in French Sur la souffrance were started in September 2006. Two other blogs, more eclectic, were also started in February 2007 : Everything on the Topic of Suffering and De tout sur la souffrance.

Last modification : 2010/01/28

Email : info@algosphere.org