From: hampday@earthlink.net
Date: Sat Aug 07 2004 - 19:57:47 BST
Platt Holden's message of Saturday, August 07, 2004 10:35 AM
Re: MD Proposal to discuss a Metaphysics of Value
> I haven't read your entire manuscript on immanent Essence. But I have read the part
>entitled "Value is our link to Essence" in which you suggest a "higher intelligence" and
> the existence of a "master plan." You also refer to a "providential architect" of our
>"wonderfully crafted universe" and later talk about an
> "Absolute Creator." I couldn't help but associate such labels with
> Creationism and wonder if that idea -- a supernatural source of the
> world's existence -- indeed reflects your thinking. Pirsig makes clear
> that the supernatural plays no role in his Metaphysics. In his annotations
> on Copleston article he writes: "The MOQ gives a purely naturalistic and
> genetic explanation of the phenomena of the moral life."
Platt, your query has the philosophical "astuteness" that I look forward to in this discussion, and I shall try to be as direct in my answers. I don't particularly care for labels--a fact that has at times incurred the frustration, if not the wrath, of logicians on other forums. I can't speak for Pirsig, of course; but, yes, certainly one could regard the Philosophy of Essence as a "supernatural" concept, especially as Essence transcends the natural world. [Bear in mind, however, that terms like "intelligence" and "providential" are references to the individual human perspective.] Again, Pirsig may have his own reasons for shying way from anything "tainted" by religiosity or idealism which are both "out of fashion" in our nihilistic age. Since philosophy is not a commercial venture for me, I have nothing to lose by calling it as I see it.
> I liked your Glossary but was surprised their was no entry for
> "evolution." As you know, evolution plays a key role in the MOQ. You
> mention the "teleological nature of our experienced world" but didn't say
> much about evolution, at least in the section I read.
There are two major reasons why I haven't addressed the Creationism vs. Evolution issue:
First, quite frankly, I've never believed it to be a valid religious or philosophical issue. With the possible exception of Scriptural fundamentalists [i.e., "literalists"] such as Seventh Day Adventists, no one can cite religious ground that would invalidate natural evolution of the species or make it incompatible with a "Divine Plan". Indeed, I can conceive of no more practical or efficacious biological process by which creatures can be made adaptable to their environment than the "survival of the fittest". . .unless, of course, they are all born "perfect" in the first place, which is not only contrary to natural selection but also to the Value-seeking teleology implicit in Essentialism.
Second, and apart from Darwin's theory, Evolution (like any process) is a sequential phenomenon occurring in time. Events observed in time and space are "conditional" or "existential" rather than Essential. They have to do with objective reality which is a construct of the human perspective. In other words, Evolution is an aspect of the way we see reality--i.e., as an "unfolding" or differentiation of events observed along a time-line imposed by the limitations of our own finite sensibility. Therefore, I see no need to distinguish the natural process we call "Evolution" from what philosophers, since Tiellhard at least, have defined as Teleology.
Thanks for your interest, Platt. Good questions!
Essentially yours,
--Ham
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