Squad,
I have been watching the flow of ideas in the squad and I'm getting more
confused all the time.
The thing that seems clear to me is that Universal Quality and Quality as
applied to the concerns of humanity are two completely different things. We
can speak of universal (inorganic) Quality and see the beauty of the
Universe as it has evolved. If we disregard humanity we can project the
operation of inorganic Quality right through to either the big crunch or to
the big blah of ultimate entropy. This is the Quality generated universe
that was established and set in motion at the time of the Big Bang and in
which Quality must still be operating. This Dynamic Quality was undisturbed
by life up until the time of the development of sentience.
After the development of sentience a new, and hitherto unknown factor
entered into the operation of Quality. Sentience enabled humanity to make
choices that would affect the operation of Quality in the universe. The
result of this development is where I consider Dynamic Quality to have
entered the picture. In my opinion Dynamic Quality is a term that is better
applied to the modifications that human sentience has imposed on our
relation to the universe. The driving force of Dynamic Quality is different
from the driving force of the Quality that has produced the universe. In my
view Dynamic Quality is purely a human function that is, in many cases, at
odds with universal Quality. I think that many, if not all, of the
difficulties the Squad has in defining Dynamic Quality results from the
attempt to marry these two concepts.
From a purely human standpoint the definition of Dynamic Quality is a
simple concept which Pirsig makes clear in "Lila". It is the readiness of
mind, before cognizance, which is established by all of our previous
history. That which predisposes our minds to favor certain choices from the
ongoing, undifferentiated, sea of choices with which we are continually
being presented by the ongoing force of the universe along with our
individual mindsets imposed by our individual histories. This is what is
meant by the "many truths" idea. Each individual has a different history
which results in a different thrust of Dynamic Quality for each individual.
It seems clear to me that we have two conflicting (in some cases) thrusts
of Quality operating, a universal one, and a human one. Defining the two as
one is difficult. I think it can't be done with clarity. I think this will
also present a large platypi when we try to define the MoQ in relation to
the self.
With regard to time, I think that we have a similar problem that we have
with the MOQ.
Universal time is a consequence of the interaction of mass and energy. If
no mass intervened between here and the Big Bang then we could possibly
look all of the way back to the Big Bang and no time would have elapsed. In
other words, we could see the Big Bang as it was happening. As it is, time
is affected (slowed) by the amount of matter intervening. Light has not
always traveled at the _speed of light_ as we see it. This probably means
that we will never be able to see back to the big bang although we seem to
be getting close judging by some of the later reports. Universal time is
relative, not absolute.
In our day to day activities we are not aware of universal time because
distances are too small in our perceptible world. The time that affects us
is Sun time which is a consequence of our placement in the solar system.
Our daily and biological functions are determined by our pathway around the
Sun. It is true that it takes about 8 minutes for light to travel from the
Sun to the Earth and there is an inorganic 8 minute lag in our perceptions
but we are not normally aware of this and it is not significant as far as
DQ is concerned. Human DQ is based on our local perceptions. Inorganic DQ
is based on the relative time of the universe which is a consequence of the
relative speed of light. (Remember the Michelson, Morley experiment which
determined that the speed of light was independent of the direction in
which it was measured?) This did away with the Aether and placed us in a
relative universe. Light always travels at the same speed regardless of our
relative direction of motion. Just the wavelength changes to accommodate
our relative motion. It is the click-click between the electrostatic and
electromagnetic presentations of a light wave that adjusts to relative
motion. Motion away from the light source, longer wavelengths, more
distance per click, same speed. Toward a light source, shorter clicks, less
distance per click, same speed. I regard this disparity between Sun time
and Universal time as another source of conflict between non-sentient
Quality and sentient Quality. Keep in mind that time can be affected (light
can be slowed) by gravity independently of relative motion. It is a
completely relative universe.
There are other discussions going on in the Squad that I disagree with
but this is about all I can handle right now. Ken
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