Rob, Bodvar and all: I'm sending this little post to both forums because
it seems relevant to both sides. For as long as I've been involved here
there has been confusion about the levels, especially the higher levels.
So I thought I'd throw in a quote that struck me as very clear and
relevant to that issue. It begins on page 307 of my hardback edition. In
terms of the context, the passage is from chapter 24 where Pirsig is
talking about the moral codes and how they are so much better than the
SOM view that has led to "amoral objectivity" and the social
deterioration that results from it.
( I think its worth pointing out that the religious right is essentially
correct in their criticisms of "secular humanism". The problems they
see with secular humanism are pretty much coincide with the problems
with amoral objectivity. Their solution, unlike Pirsig's, is very much
worse than the problem itself, but they are correct about the problem.
Don't you think?)
Anyway, Pirsig writes that the MOQ...
..."says that what is meant by "human rights" is usually the moral code
of intellect vs. society, the moral right of intellect to be free from
social control. Freedom of speech; freedom of assembly, of travel; trial
by jury; habeas corpus; government by consent - these "human rights" are
all intellect vs society issues. According to the MOQ these "human
rights" have not just a sentimental basis, but a rational, metaphysical
basis. They are essential to the evolution of a higher level of life
from a lower level of life. They are for real."
Pirsig is saving the principle of "human rights" from mere
sentimentality by moving it from SOM to the MOQ. He is saying that these
intellectual principles are not just some dreamy idealism or wishful
thinking, but are a real level of reality that is at the cutting edge of
evolution. "They are for real". This is exactly why anti-intellectual
and anti-democratic views are so incompatable with the MOQ. To be
anti-intellectual and anti-democratic is to be anti-MOQ. (Of course I
mean real democracy or "government by consent" as Pirsig puts it, and
not mere mob rule.) Now getting back to the quote and the main
point...Pirsig says,...
"But what the MOQ also make clear is that this intellect vs society code
of morals is not at all the same as the society vs biology codes of
morals that go back to a prehistoric time. They are completely separate
levels of morals They should never be confused. The central term of
confusion is "society". Is society good or is society evil? The question
is confused because the term "society" is common to both of these
levels, but in one level society is the higher evolutionary pattern and
in the other it is the lower. Unless you separate these two levels of
moral codes you get a paralyzing confusion as to whether society is
moral of immoral. That paralyzing confusion is what dominates all
thoughts about morality and society today."
The meaning of this passage is fairly obvious, but just to be absolutely
crystal clear let me repeat the main point. "Society" is common to two
different moral codes. When social values clash with biological values,
society ought to win. When social values conflict with intellectual
values, the intellect should win. Or evenmore simply put, society is
good compared to biology. Society is bad compared to the intellect. It's
all about context.
Take the war in Serbia and Kosovo, for example. Certainly the Serbian
language, culture and society has a rightr ot exist and to protect
itself. That is completely moral. But they are immoral to try to achieve
that preservation at the expense of human rights, which are intellectual
level values. Like it or not, the United Nations and even NATO have
taken on the role of defending human rights and other international
laws. Even if there were no such thing as human rights and international
laws the Serbs would still be acting immorally because the Kosovar
Albanians have just as much right to exist and preserve their society
and culture as do the Serbs. One nation killing another is hardly
different that one person killing another. Its almost always wrong.
I forget who posted the idea. But not too long ago someone suggested
that NATO action is Serbia was no different than what Hitler did there
50-something years ago. I think this conclusion can only be arrived at
thru the paralyzing confusion Pirsig warns us about in the quote from
page 307. Frankly, I think it takes a serious lack of moral reasoning to
come to that conclusion. Is there no distinction between the actions of
a mad Dictator who perpetrated a genocide and the actions of the
Democracies acting in concert to try to stop a genocide?
The debate on the bombing of Japan was equally daft. One doesn't even
need the MOQ to see that the indiscriminate destruction of an entire
civilian population is immoral. Its against international law and
represents a return to barbarism. Japan was all but finished by then. It
was just a matter of time. We killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese
men, women and children for the sake of intimidating Uncle Joe. HE was
looking East after Germany was finally broken and probably would have
invaded Japan if not for the nukes. So its not just a matter of the
number of lives saved or destroyed so much as an attack on innocent
non-combatants. Clearly Hilter and Stalin had no qualms about killing
civilians and engaging in "total war", but they were both twisted
monsters, no? We stooped to their level at Dresden and Hiroshima. Its
kind of ironic that this forum is dedicated to the discussion of a
deeply moral philosophy should attract people who can justify such mass
murder. All I can do is hope such a mind never has the authority to act
on such child-like thinking.
Please forgive me for "scolding" you in such an arrogant manner, but I
was very disappointed and disgusted, downright angry in fact, to read
such views here. Someone PLEASE tell me I'm not the only one outraged by
the stupidity!
Its only because I care about my fellow philosophers. Honest.
David B.
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