LS Back from Sabbatical...

From: Rob Stillwell (Stills@Bigfoot.com)
Date: Sat May 15 1999 - 09:28:47 BST


What an amazing thought-journey I had tonight...

Question 1. Are "dynamic" and "static" relative or absolute terms?

Relative. All patterns change reality. Some a little, some a lot. Some last
for a short duration, some for a much longer duration. Some go almost
unnoticed, some leave us in awe. Some come predictably, some unpredictably.

Question 2. Are notions of the patterns being "dynamic" and "static"
fundamental to the metaphysics?

Not really. "Dynamic" and "static" are useful descriptors just as "red" and
"not red", "strong" and weak", and "near" and far". For me, the barebones MOQ
is that reality is ultimately made of value patterns that are experienced. The
rest is "practical" empirical knowledge.

Question 3. Why do "dynamic" and "static" intuitively seem to be fundamental
concepts?

They are! Just not in the way Pirsig described.

Let me digress a little.

Suppose I got a new haircut and wondered what my friends thought. I could ask
them. They would tell me something, but how could I be certain everyone was
being honest? I don't know if I would be honest...

The point is that no matter what I did, it would be impossible for me to know.
It would only be possible for me to infer. But wait. Reality is only made of
value that is knowable through experience. If my friends have a consciousness
or attitude, I should somehow be able to know of it for certain.

Consciousness, life, the mind, freewill, attitude and so forth exist, but they
are not empirical patterns (just like they are not just matter). Patterns of
value and the "consciousness entities" which are aware of them are absolutely
different. Pirisig did not include the latter in his metaphysics. Value is
observable and continual. (I know when I'm hungry but I can't count the number
of hungry). Life, on the other hand, is inferable and discreet. (I don't know
for certain that anyone other than me is self-aware, but I can count how many
people I think are aware of something.)

Ironically, it is in discussing the latter that "static" and "dynamic" have the
most meaning! The moral problems of the world are not due to a lack of dynamic
*patterns* to motivate us. It is due to a lack of dynamic *attitudes*. One can
always appreciate goodness or be concerned about a sensed lack of goodness.
That is a dynamic mind. It chooses to flow with reality. It has love. A
static mind is fearful does not adjust to reality. It is dulled because it is
clings to past traditions, beliefs, desires, insecurities and so forth.
Homophobia, racism, sexism, fundamentalism, insecurity are all augmented by a
form of mental static.

Pirsig:
                               Reality
                             (Quality)
                           / \
                         / \
                    Dynamic Static

Rob: Reality
                        / \
                      / \
                Quality Sensitivity to Quality
         (beauty, ugliness (the mind, soul, consciousness)
          gravity) / \
                                    / \
                         Very sensitive Insensitive
                            (dynamic) (static)

Oh, god. Its 4:30 AM. Now I remember why I took a Pirsig Sabbatical. Oh
well. It's good to be back. I just hope this makes sense when I am more awake.

MOQ Online - http://www.moq.org



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