Translationism
Translationism is an over-reaching discipline of Messenian science and philosophy that concerns itself with the translation of Vaestic ideas and insights, chiefly Vaestic science, into Messenian standards. In Vaestdom, the distinction between science and religion is non-existent. Although Vaestic scientific theories are, for the most part, based on or corresponding to natural principles acceptable to Messenians, they are interpreted through a religious prism which is at odds with both religious and secular cultures in Messenia. The process of translation is usually undertaken by a combination of experts and specialists in Vaestism who formulate re-interpretations of Vaestic theories and discoveries. In the Cairan world, translationism is intimately linked to Cairan Scientism, as the process of translation involves re-interpreting scientific knowledge into the framework of restorative work, in particular for the permaterialists.
Translationism was originally an unsystematic endeavour, comprising the technical interrogation and processing of documents acquired by trade or espionage, along with more general philosophical responses and rationalisations to assimilate Vaestic ideas to Messenian worldviews. Today technical work is made available for translation after vetting by a bureau of the Office for Propagation of Knowledge and Practice, one of the Offices of the Prysostaia, whose other responsibilities include overseeing missionary efforts outside Outer Joriscia. Although much of technical or military value is censored by the Office, most Joriscian scientific works in fields as diverse as entomology and geology are now available to Messenian academics.
Case study: subatomic physics
For example, Vaestic science asserts that subatomic particles are reflected fragments of Light and Dark. Messenian science, including in Cairony, has distanced itself from such interpretation and considers subatomic particles simply as the fundamental building block of the natural world; in most cases, no particular religious meaning is ascribed to subatomic particles and interactions.
The mathematical equations governing these bodies are the same in Vaestic and Messenian science, but as a particularity of the scientific system in Messenia, alternative interpretations of mathematical principles are common in the latter. Often, when their object of study permits, Messenian scientists will come up with and discuss many different approaches on a same theory. Some of these divergence might be religiously motivated, as the different faiths in Messenia have various influences on the scientific pursuit.
This is particularly the case in quantum physics, where the different interpretations of the purported actual effects and existence of the quantum wave-function collapse have been proposed (the Gullmer Point-of-view, the Merands theory or the many-worlds interpretation), while Vaestic science sticks to a single dogmatic position. Such divergences often arise in scientific fields where there is no practical way (or none yet) to discriminate between competing interpretations.
Nomenclature conventions
It is the norm in translationism to rename principles, theorems, and theories according to their Joriscian discoverers, for example the Vaestic Principle of Transfinite Reflection renamed the Sheveti Uncertainty Principle after physicist ("theoretical machinist" in Vaestic parlance) Shet Sheveti. Frome time to time, Messenian scientists can be claimed (or claim themselves) to have discovered or formulated a translated theory beforehand, in which case references to Vaestic scientists are dropped.
Secularisation
The internalisation of Vaestic discoveries into Messenian cultures inevitably produces challenges against and changes within the latter, broadly referred to as secularisation (from a Cairan Sabamic term saeculāris, 'of the era', as it is a response or change of the religion specific to the time).
The most obvious, direct, and threatening form of secularisation is the direct contradiction of dogmas by Vaestism. In the externalist natural sciences, this is largely not an issue for the Enhieronic Siriash and Arlatur, which are vague as to any description of the workings of the world, and easily reject Vaestic cosmology such as Light and Dark through metaphysics. Cairony, however, is much more seriously challenged because of the many properties and great importance imputed to Cairon. Permaterialism in Cairan Scientism has met little empirical support, while Paramaterialism that could metaphysically reconcile the quandary remains considered heterodox, causing considerable cultural divides and doubts regarding the verity of Cairony. Attempts to remove Cairony from these disputes have birthed views that desacralised it, in which it has lost the 'worldview' role of a 'Civilised Religion', and its merits become judged by separate historicising or utilitarian metrics; 'atheism' or 'secularism' is a cultural movement most pronounced in Cairan cultures, exemplified by controversial thinkers such as Rémy Douaquin. Paramaterialist attitudes trying to salvage Cairony's metaphysical position are most influential in Cairan translationist circles, but they have led to these experts' conflicts with Cairan clergy.
Vaestism may also assert itself as an affiliation in the process of translation, eroding the society attempting to reconcile with it. The potential 'corruption' of translationists, should they embrace unacceptable views from exposure to Vaestic ideas, is considered a serious risk for more cautious authorities. Vaestism's claims to being a political as much as spiritual or scientific project and the loyalty commanded of its adherents makes it even more likely that translationists can surmise positions directly subverting their home culture's social systems. The importation of socialism into Messenian ideas has proven controversial, examples such as samlikamism and horizontism being continually the target of panics about the introduction of 'Joriscian collectivism' or 'autocracy'. Conversions to Vaestism as a result of translationist work, have been much less common since the Messenian repudiations, and providing underhanded if not treasonous services to Joriscian powers have been even rarer, but these continue to tarnish the reliability of translationists to other interests and perspectives. As a result, translationists are often monitored, their material is subject to censorship, and there is widespread suspicion and critique of them as agents of an alien culture.
A more subtle secularising effect lies with Vaestism's simple presentation of a competing alternative, and translationism's demonstration of its validity as an epistemology by exposing its apparently sound and verifiable discoveries and methods. Vaestism has challenged the approaches Messenians were historically accustomed to, and promoted new inquiries into their religions that have raised new questions. The role translating Vaestic knowledge has in Messenian science has led to much anxiety about the position of Messenian religions as civilisational ideologies established since the 18th century. Independent cultural movements dissociating themselves from both Messenian religions and alien Vaestism have also emerged from the recognition of the parity of worldviews, appealing to more universal notions of enhieronic human potential, order, reason, or sophistication, but lack substantial influence; most of them often repackage themes considered Vaestic, such as an escapist idea of freedom, and are regarded as another brand of Vaestophilia — even being incriminatingly classified as heresies or Crypto-Savants in Vaestdom.