Bo, Erin, Marco, Platt, & many others
I've noticed that this thread and the "Is society making progress"
thread seem to be exploring some similar issues dealing with roles of
the social vs biological levels.
I'm rereading an excerpt from William James "The Principles of
Psychology" tited "Habit" and ran across some passages that you all may
find of interest. I have appended to them my interpretation of their
relationship to the MoQ.
" The moment one tries to define what a habit [pattern of value or
static quality] is, one is lead to the fundamental properties of
matter[inorganic level]. The laws of Nature are nothing but the
immutable habits [inorganic static qualities] which different elementary
sorts of matter follow in their actions and reactions upon each
other.[remember this pre-dates quantum mechanics but if 'immutable' is
struck it's up to date.] In the organic world [biological
level],however, the habits are more variable [have a higher degree of
freedom] than this. Even instincts vary from one individual to another
of a kind; and are modified in the same individual.. to suit the
exigencies of the case."
"Habit [patterns of value] is thus the enormous fly-wheel of society,
[of the social level] its most precious conservative agent. It alone is
what keeps us all within the bounds of ordinance, and saves the children
of fortune from the envious uprisings of the poor."
What, according to James, is the fundamental nature of habits? Or static qualities?
Plasticity. Which is quality by which stable patterns can dynamically
unlatch and relatch at higher values.
" When a structure has yielded, the same inertia becomes a condition of
its compartive permanence in the new form, of the new habits [patterns
of value] the body then manifests. 'Plasticity', then, in the wide sense
of the word, means the possession of a structure weak enough [dynamic
enough] to yield to an influence [an experience] but strong enough
[stable or static enough] not to yield all at once. [thus failing,
unlatching, and falling in value] Each relatively stable phase of
equilibrium [dynamic +static] in such a structure is marked by what we
may call a new set of habits. [new stable patterns of value]"
3WD
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