Dissipative Representations: A Non-Dualist Framework for Language and Identity Research

This paper introduces Dissipative Representations (DiRe) as both a practical notion and a methodological framework that transcends dualistic thinking in language research, identity studies, and cognitive sciences. Drawing from the foundational premise that reality equals information (R=I), DiRe offers a coherent alternative to traditional analytical frameworks characterized by informational flexibility, provisional utility, relational dynamics, and critical resistance to objectification. The framework synthesizes Analytic Idealism, Decolonial Theory, and the Informational Field Metaphor to provide researchers with tools that honor the dynamic and emergent nature of meaning-making without sacrificing analytical rigor. This revised version integrates developments from the Trace & Trajectory Framework (TTF), introducing Trajectorial Dissipative Representations (Tra_DiRe) as a bridge between foundational ontology and applied analysis, and refining the concept of representational granularity through the orthogonal distinction between structural configuration (λ) and epistemic access (σ). The significance of this work extends toward a transformative epistemological shift with applications for decolonizing knowledge systems and revitalizing genuine diversity in approaches to intersubjective meaning-making.