The Frontier

[Steerpike]

Absolutism is a philosophical movement that has taken root among intellectuals at some universities back east, positing that natural law is the "absolute," the one true explanation for everything. It posits that even the Holy Light, black magic, the Weird, and other phenomena are ultimately governed by the same natural law that is already understood to govern more mundane processes. This is a somewhat radical world view, and is especially offensive to followers of the Orthodox Holy Light sect. As such, they have pushed back, causing many Absolutists to be discredited and disgraced; devoid of any prospects back east, they had no choice but to try their luck in the Frontier. However, this means that this new philosophy is gaining adherents out west, as well.

Reminds me of Positivism.

I agree with the Positivism thing although it also reminds me heavily of monist German Idealism ala Hegel, Fichte, Schelling, etc as well as Spinoza's panthentheistic account of the world, all of which try to understand the universe as a single thing, as well as various Eastern ontologies.