Folyamatosság

Folyamatosság is a Hungarian term describing the quality of being continuous or processual. It denotes the idea that phenomena are better understood as ongoing processes and sequences rather than fixed, static states. The word combines folyamat (process, flow) with the abstract noun suffix -osság, indicating a property or characteristic.

In philosophy, folyamatosság refers to a stance in which reality is seen as a network of evolving processes and relations in time, contrasting with substantialist or essentialist views. In the social sciences, it helps analyze how social life unfolds through practices, routines, and institutions, emphasizing continuity amid change rather than abrupt, isolated events. In historiography and archaeology, it supports tracing how cultural forms persist or transform over long durations. In systems theory and complexity studies, it aligns with viewing systems as evolving through feedback, adaptation, and historical development.

The concept is closely linked to time, causality, and change, and it often intersects with ideas such as path dependence and institutional continuity. Critics argue that an overemphasis on process can obscure stable structures, essential properties, or crisis moments. Practically, researchers may study sequences of events, longitudinal data, and processes of change to capture folyamatosság rather than relying on single snapshots.

Overall, folyamatosság provides a framework for understanding phenomena as dynamic, interconnected, and temporally extended, highlighting that persistence is often found in patterns of change rather than in static attributes.