A brief note on ontology of immanence in the context of dissertation project works

A brief note on ontology of immanence in the context of dissertation project works (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "What is ontology of immanence all about in the context of MBA and Housing Studies dissertation project works?"

The reply: "The ontology of immanence, especially in the context of philosophy as developed by Gilles Deleuze, is about understanding principles or processes that operate entirely within the same plane as their effects—they do not refer to anything transcendent or outside themselves. Immanence means that the production and the product are inseparable, and everything happens within the same ontological dimension without external causes or entities. This contrasts with transcendent metaphysics, where principles operate beyond or outside what they produce and remain hidden.

In Deleuze’s approach, ontology of immanence emphasizes relationality, continuous processes, and the internal constitution of reality rather than fixed objects or transcendent essences. The principle of intensity is central here, showing how differences and forces operate inside the same immanent plane.

Applied to MBA and Housing Studies dissertation projects, the ontology of immanence can provide a philosophical framework to analyze phenomena as inherently relational, dynamic, and embedded in their contexts, rather than imposed or explained by external frameworks. For example, in Housing Studies, this can enable a focus on the lived experience of spaces, relational aspects of housing sufficiency, and the internal dynamics generating housing conditions without recourse to overarching external systemic causes.

In MBA dissertation work, this ontology might be used to conceptualize organizations, markets, or managerial processes as internally generated, emergent realities that cannot simply be explained by outside models or fixed structures but must be understood through their immanent relations and functioning.

To summarize, ontology of immanence is about understanding entities (like organizations, housing situations) as self-contained, self-productive realities shaped by internal relations rather than external, transcendent principles. This allows for innovative, context-sensitive research approaches suitable for MBA and Housing Studies dissertations focused on complex, dynamic systems embedded in real-world contexts."

My question 2: "Please highlight briefly 6 main ideas of ontology of immanence."

The reply: "Here are six main ideas of the ontology of immanence based on Deleuze's philosophy:

1. Immanence vs. Transcendence: It opposes transcendence, meaning it rejects any principles or causes outside or beyond what they produce. Everything exists and operates within the same plane or dimension without external referents.

2. Plane of Immanence: This is an abstract, infinite, and unstructured field or "plane" where all beings, forces, and relations exist and interact continuously without hierarchical or transcendental divisions.

3. Self-Organization: Reality is understood as self-organizing and self-constituting on this plane, where complex networks of relations, movements, and becomings arise from internal dynamics, not external impositions.

4. Continuous Differentiation: On the plane of immanence, there are continuous processes of differentiation and becoming, with entities emerging as intensities or variations rather than fixed forms or identities.

5. Non-Subjective Life: Immanence entails an impersonal, subjectless life that precedes individual subjects or objects. Life is conceived as an immanent force or condition present in everything, not as a transcendent or spiritual essence.

6. Ethics of Immanence: It rejects moral judgments based on external norms and instead embraces immanent evaluation and experimentation, emphasizing creativity and singularities in concrete situations.

These ideas lay the ontological foundation for analyzing phenomena as internally generated, dynamic, and relational, without recourse to transcendent or external causes or categories."

My question 3: "Please clarify the concept a bit more with reference to the following dissertation research themes:

1. MBA-related: "frugal consumer behaviors in the Hong Kong retail sector in 2025"

2. Housing studies-related: "the status of the domestic violence in the Tsuen Wan public housing estate of Hong Kong over the past 3 years"."

The reply: "To clarify the ontology of immanence concept with reference to the two dissertation research themes:

1. MBA-related theme: "frugal consumer behaviors in the Hong Kong retail sector in 2025"

• Using ontology of immanence here involves viewing consumer behaviors as emergent and relational phenomena that arise from the immediate interactions, contexts, and experiences in the retail environment, rather than as dictated by external socioeconomic models or fixed consumer categories.

• It enables studying how cognitive and affective experiences of consumers are embedded in and arise from their direct, immanent engagement with products, prices, and marketing in Hong Kong retail. This approach prioritizes subjective and situated consumer experiences, including heuristics, emotions, and intentions interwoven on the same plane of reality.

• For example, analysis would focus on how frugality as a behavior emerges internally within consumers shaped by the relational dynamics of affordability, cultural context, and retail stimuli, without seeking causes outside this immanent system.

2. Housing studies-related theme: "the status of domestic violence in the Tsuen Wan public housing estate of Hong Kong over the past 3 years"

• Applied here, ontology of immanence means interpreting domestic violence dynamics as phenomena self-generated and evolving within the social and physical environment of the housing estate.

• The focus would be on immanent relations among residents, community structures, physical housing conditions, and lived experiences, rather than external policy or societal narratives imposed from outside.

• This perspective highlights the continuous, internal generation of behaviors and social patterns in the housing context, understanding violence in the estate as embedded in and processed through these local relational dynamics.

Overall, ontology of immanence directs these dissertation themes toward understanding behaviors and social realities as self-contained, emergent processes within their direct contexts, without attributing them to external or transcendent causes. This philosophical lens foregrounds internal relations, intensity of experiences, and emergent patterns in the field of study."

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.