Functional ontology: a three-dimensional framework of field, medium, and function based on non-essentialist analysis of modes of existence

Existing cultural studies face two core limitations under essentialist paradigms: they prioritize static object definition rather than analyzing dynamic modes of existence, while fragmented theoretical frameworks separate field theory from medium formalism. This paper constructs a three-dimensional functional ontology of field-medium-function for humanities and social sciences research. From a non-essentialist perspective, it shifts research focus from fixed essence definitions to fluid existence dynamics, establishing a hierarchical causal structure where field shapes internal essence, medium frames external form, and function unifies their ontological logic. Its explanatory power is validated via two comparative cases: Cézanne’s modern painting and a representative digital immersive installation by teamLab. Bridging sociological field theory and media formalism, this framework delivers a universal analytical tool for contemporary cultural studies, supplemented by the “Unity of Dao and Instrument” perspective to deepen interpretive depth without undermining the framework’s universal theoretical consistency.