From: David Buchanan (DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org)
Date: Sun Oct 13 2002 - 21:13:02 BST
Sam and all:
I think you were quite right to post the quote wherein Pirsig says we need
to look back at the social level values to see what they are all about and
I'd suggest that there are two good ways to begin the re-examination.
Further, I think you're right to point out that this re-examination has to
take place at the intellectual level. Even further, this dusting off has to
avoid the mistakes that, as Pirsig says, were committed by "liberal
intellectuals like himself". In other words, with an MOQ intellect instead
of SOM. The first method of re-examination requires that we grasp the
distinction between levels.
"Intellect can support static patterns of society without fear of domination
by carefully distinguishing those moral issues that are social-biological
from those that are intellectual-social and making sure there is no
encroachment either way." page 300
Its the job of the social level to control biological values, our animal
nature if you will. That is what is does well. But its immoral for the
social level to try to control the intellect. I think this was reflected in
the examples I used in the "Conservatism" thread, which illustrated cases
where social level values were asserted over intellectual values, such as
Scalia's love of divine authority over democracy. Pirsig repeats this same
point immediately following the "dusting off" quote you posted.
"We must understand that when a society undermines intellectual freedom for
its own purposes it is absolutely morally bad, but when it represses
biological freedom it is absolutely morally good" page 309
Again, please notice that in that other thread I didn't post any objections
to the social repression of biological values, only intellectual ones. In
any case, the first method of re-examination is simply this, to sort out
which direction social control is going. If the 3rd level is handling the
2nd level, that's totally kosher, but when it tries to pick and choose among
intellectual values or otherwise control them, its a kind of evil.
The second method is involves looking at the social level values closely and
from the inside. This might interest you because it is very much related to
theology and religion.
"He seemed to remember a book he'd always wanted to read called THE MASKS OF
GOD. (A four-volume set by Joseph Campbell.) You could discover a lot about
a culture by what it said about its idols. The idols would be an
objectification of the culture's innermost values, which were its reality."
P401
This is a wonderful way to go and there are lots of resources available in
the fields of comparative mythology and religion. By looking at myth and
religion in this larger context we can see beyond the various particular
dogmas and theologies. This kind of examination shows that there are
something like univeral social values buried under the apparent differences.
It also shows how "these innermost values" develop over time, which give us
a picture of the evolution of the social level going way back into
pre-history. (I read THE MASKS OF GOD last year. It rocked my world. This
how I discovered and got excited about the myth of Orpheus.)
That's it. Two ways to start. Use the moral codes of the MOQ and take a look
at the culture's innermost values by studying its gods and heroes.
(Celebrities)
Thanks for your time,
DMB
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