From: ml (mbtlehn@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sun Sep 05 2004 - 08:47:32 BST
Hello Marsha.
----- Original Message -----
From: MarshaV
To: moq_discuss@moq.org
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 5:03 AM
Subject: Re: MD interaction between levels - ?
<snip>
> I have a question. Why does it have to be hierarchical?
> Why can't the 'four levels' be four major systems that
> interact with each other? Interconnected. There can
> still exist the respect for the old stability and the new
> freedom.
mel:
If I understand correctly, the notion of heirarchy is
from the order of their arising and the way in which
each level emerges from the one that came before.
To put it another way, you cannot have significant
intellectual activity and subjects unless a society
exists with all of its full wealth of subject matter,
complexity, and structure for the intellect to draw
upon.
Similarly there is little possibility for a society if
there are no biological beings to support, create,
and enrich one.
As there can be no biological beings without a
supporting physical universe complete with its
chemistry and chemicals, and processes.
In practice, there are four major systems that
interact with each other, Interconnected.
But because of their unique connections, each
'daughter' system is in conflict at times with its
'mother' system, yet exists only because of it.
Each level can only see any other level through
the 'older' or original level's rules, the only ones
by which it can itself operate. The higher level
can see the rules of the lower level, but sees
others as well. Those others that it sees are the
rules than define the higher level AS higher.
Stability may be the biggest illusion of all. In
even our understanding of rock and metal the
material of which each is constructed is very
much more dynamic than the 'normal' or our
accustomed view holds.
In some way Pirsig might have done better to
find another word than Static in the MoQ to get
the notion of Less Dynamic across, as the word
static can be read to mean unchanging.
On a visit to the Monterrey Aquarium this summer
it occurred to me that the MoQ is in some ways
conceptually like a Coral. The new generation of
coral are soft and mobile and have the ability and
opportunity to go anywhere, they are Dynamic, but
once their choice has been made, they are the
newest or freshest accretion on their local part of
the reef, they are becoming Static. While centimeters,
meters, or significant fractions of a kilometer below
our newly fixed coral polyp, are the dead and accreted
mass of long Static supporting mass. Yet, even in the
oldest level there is change; it compresses and
begins to behave in a manner more like a rock, than
anything living.
So, in a way, the 'old stability' supports the new
freedom.
Hope this helps somewhat and I am sure that
others will do better to clarify any questions. That's
my attempt...
thanks--mel
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