Peter,
Behaviorism isn't really built out of mechanical explanation as much as
it is upon physical explanation. It is specifically derived from the
Positivist movement and claims that events must be observable to be within
science. Now empiricism generally means knowledge through experience and
while this generally limits experience to the five senses, it isn't
necessarily the case. However, the philosophers of the Vienna Circle stated
that for any communication to make sense, it must be empirically verifiable
by others. What I call 5 kilograms should be close to what you call 5
kilograms. Thus the objectivity of science actually depends upon agreement
of communication. As more people verify the results of an experiment, the
truths demonstrated by the experiment become more objective.
My overall point in posting this to the MOQ is to show that Behaviorism
fits into Pirsig's concept of Quality very well. In Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance, Pirsig specifically criticizes the faculty at
Bozeman for their embracing of stimulus-response behavior theory. Perhaps
they were far enough behind at the time to not know the work of Dr. Skinner,
and as Pirsig himself has admitted, he is not a very good student. (I am not
a very good student either for just as Pirsig I am more concerned with the
acquisition of knowledge and less concerned with grades and degrees-the Arch
Titles of Static Quality).
I believe that Behaviorism is in virtual agreement with Zen and
Buddhism in general, as well as the concept of Quality. I think Positive
Reinforcement is the same concept as Quality. Buddhism rejects the idea of
self as an illusion and at least as early as David Hume, Western empiricists
have also come to believe that the self is nothing more than a set of
conceptions. Furthermore, the emphasis of Buddhism is all about the present
moment and sensory experience. Buddhism pushes us see as clearly as possible
those things that are in front of us. The Heart Sutra says that all Buddha's
depend on Prajna Paramita just :
"So in emptiness there is no form, no sensation, conception, discrimination,
awareness; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; no color, sound, smell,
taste, touch, phenomena; no realm of sight, no realm of consciousness, no
ignorance and no end to ignorance, no old age and death and no end to old
age and death, no suffering, no cause of suffering, no extinguishing, no
path, no wisdom and no gain, no gain and thus the Bodhisattva lives Prajna
Paramita."
When all things are nothing but matter, awareness itself is pure matter.
Everything then becomes awareness and when everything is one thing then
there is "Not two, not one." There is only this and that is pure emptiness.
-David
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