Hi 3wd:
About Wilber you wrote:
> While his "Chart of the Four Quadrants" is split into interior and
> exterior, in his numerous discussions of it he is very clear that one
> will never find a pattern of values in one quadrant without finding a
> corresponding pattern in each of the other quadrants. So if you wish to
> portray him in subjective vs objective terms you would have to say that he
> extends "subjective" or internal values to all of reality from quarks to
> humans. IMHO this is why he uses "internal" and "external" because to
> suggest quarks are "subjective", ie are "conscious" or have a "mind", would
> be to invite even louder hoots of derision from almost every quarter,
> particularly science. However many Eastern traditions and in particular
> Buddhism has espoused this belief since the beginning. It's a surefire
> solution to the question: "How does Mind arise from No Mind ? Or Spirit,
> from No Spirit?"
Thanks for the clarification. You're right. Wilber is indeed not your
classic SOM type. But, as we agree, he is no Pirsig, either. His
metaphysical model is grounded in the SOM division.
As for quarks containing mind, consciousness, subject, internal or
whatever you choose to call it, you may remember the great "Are
atoms aware?" debate of many moons ago. On this score it appears
Pirsig, Wilber and the Buddhists might agree. In notes to Dan Glover's
excellent special edition of "Lila's Child," Pirsig said:
"I think the answer is that inorganic objects experience events but do
not react to them biologically, socially or intellectually. The react to
these experiences inorganically, according to the laws of physics."
Personally I'm a panexperientialist (as are a few scientists). I envision
DQ as something the brain (that overgrown bulb of nerve tissue)
exploits to make us aware, and that "experience" and "existence" and
"reality" are all names for the same thing. The brain doesn't "create"
experience--it's already there. The brain summons it up and uses it.
But that's another subject for another day.
Platt
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