Hi Marco:
You wrote:
One possibility is the fifth level, but I’m very negative about it. We
don’t need it. IMO the best view is to consider Art and Science
being two wonderful intellectual possibilities. If only we could
enlarge this poor vision of intellect . . .
As you know, Pirsig opened the possibility for a fifth level of Art with
this statement in Lila, Chap. 13:
“First, there were moral codes that established the supremacy of
biological life over inanimate nature. Second, there were moral
codes that established the supremacy of the social order over
biological life—conventional morals —proscriptions against
drugs, murder, adultery, theft and the like. Third, there were moral
codes that established the supremacy of the intellectual order
over the social order—democracy, trial by jury, freedom of speech,
freedom of the press. Finally there's a fourth Dynamic morality
which isn't a code. He supposed you could call it a "code of Art" or
something like that, but art is usually thought of as such a frill that
that title undercuts its importance. The morality of the brujo in
Zuni—that was Dynamic morality.”
No doubt for many centuries the social level considered the higher
codes of intellect to be a “frill.” (Universal education in the West
has only been around for 200 years or so.) Even today there are
some groups who denigrate the higher intellectual order. So it’s
not surprising that art is thought to be a frill by intellect (except by
the most creative intellectuals). To hold its own, a level must fight
not only what’s below, but also what’s above.
The brujo had little claim to fame except as a singer and poet. Yet
this “artist” saved his society from destruction. Which brings to
mind the prize winning playwright Vaclav Havel who, like the brujo,
was ostracized from his society (Communist Czechoslovakia) but
led the opposition to eventually become his society’s leader.
Another “artist” to the rescue.
So maybe we need an “art level” after all—one which doesn’t treat
the pursuit of happiness through the pursuit of beauty as a
vocation for useless dilettantes (as many intellectuals view it) but
a level for people imbued with an almost manic quest for Dynamic
Quality.
What do you think of that possibility?
Platt
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