Dave,
WOOHAAH, I like this, splendid!!!!! I was fascinated by habits from reading
Montaigne and now you come with this, real bummer that I have to leave with
no time to respond right now, I'm not sure I agree fully(just little minors
though) but I hope you don't mind if I respond when I'm back from abroad.
Have a fertile discussion!
Davor
>From: 3dwavedave <dlt44@ipa.net>
>Reply-To: moq_discuss@moq.org
>To: moq_discuss@moq.org
>Subject: Re: MD Emotions and the MoQ
>Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 09:32:32 -0600
>
>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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