Hi Marco:
First, thanks for a thoughtful and thought provoking post. It's a pleasure
to get back to discussing interpretations of the MOQ on this site.
Unfortunately, I cannot respond in kind due to the number of other
posts directed at me that out of courtesy alone if nothing else require a
response. With this post I have already reached my limit for the day
according to rules that govern our exchanges. So I must be brief and
hope you will understand.
M:
Actually, you are equating intellect and S/O science. Pirsig NEVER
does it.
Never say never (-: Again I quote:
" . . . the Metaphyics of Quality goes on to say that science, the
intellectual pattern that has been oppointed to take over society, has a
defect in it. The defect is that subject-object science has no provisional
for morals."
M:
Just let me say that SOLAQI is Bo's trademark, not Pirsig's . . ."
True as regards the trademark, but an accurate interpretation of the
MOQ I believe.
M:
Intellect and S/O science are not the same. it seems to me that Pirisg
is saying that science is one possible intellectual pattern and that there
could be other patterns that have never been used to dominate society,
up to now.
Wholeheartedly agree. SOM is one intellectual pattern among several.
The problem is, as Pirsig points out again and again, SOM has been
chosen to dominate society. The problems we face today are due to
the fact that SOM finds no basis for morality outside of culture. Morality
according to SOM is relative and thus cannot distinguish between a
George Bush and a Saddam Hussein.
M:
Then, the intellectual level of the MOQ can't simply be science.
Wholeheartedly agree, but not for the reasons you cite. The MOQ is an
intellectual pattern that is far superior to the SOM pattern. But (and this
is Bo's point I think in suggesting the MOQ as the initial step into a fifth
level), MOQ includes SOM within it. It does not throw out SOM logic but
"includes and transcends it" (as Ken Wilber likes to say). The MOQ is a
new, more encompassing intellectual pattern which embraces the
SOM pattern but moves beyond it to eliminate SOM platypi and bring
the reality of morality back into the metaphysical picture.
M: But where is it written that it is impossible for intellect to have
provision for morals?
Nowhere that I know of. The whole point of the MOQ is to provide
intellect with provision for morals by introducing a new intellectual
pattern called the MOQ. Otherwise, it's back to the last latch--Victorian
era morality--or even worse, "the great age of hippies, trippers, and
flower children." (LILA, Chap. 3)
Ciao,
Platt
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