Re: MD Pure experience and the Kantian problematic

From: Ian Glendinning (ian@psybertron.org)
Date: Fri Feb 18 2005 - 10:09:22 GMT

  • Next message: MarshaV: "MD REALity"

    Ron, I lose the thread here, but when you say ...

    "Let's just say that Quantum Physics leads us to think a bit closer toward
    Eastern philosophy, or what can be termed as spirituality ... I don't see
    religion and spirituality meaning the same thing."

    I completely identify with your view. It was Michael Talbot's "Mysticism and
    the New Physics", contemporary with but better than Capra's "Tao of
    Physics", that made me think I should read Pirsig in fact, and I've not been
    disappointed since.

    Ian.
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Ron Winchester" <phaedruswolff@hotmail.com>
    To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 8:12 PM
    Subject: Re: MD Pure experience and the Kantian problematic

    > Scott:
    > I disagree. We know a lot about subatomic activity. What we cannot do is
    > visualize it. But the mathematics does allow us to make predictions. Of
    > course the theory may be overthrown and replaced by another, but the
    > predictive ability we have will not go away, same with relativity
    > replacing Newton. NASA still uses Newtonian physics to direct its
    > spacecraft.
    >
    > Hi Scott,
    >
    > The thing is, we can't predict the movements of electrons. It is more a
    > shell game we are playing with the subatomic particles and waves.
    >
    > Ron said:
    > Let's just say that Quantum Physics leads us to think a bit closer
    > toward Eastern philosophy, or what can be termed as spirituality.
    >
    > Scott:
    > I agree, but there are many books out there which disagree, so this
    > statement can be questioned. Is it a case, for example, that we have
    > read spiritual meanings into QM only because we are inclined to do so
    > because of prior leanings toward the spiritual? (Also, there is plenty
    > of spirituality in Western philosophy as well.)
    >
    > Ron:
    > I don't see religion and spirituality meaning the same thing.
    >
    > Ron said:
    > The difference between enlightenment and the Christian Mystical
    > Experience is that you know prior to the experience what you are going
    > to experience when you are looking for the Virgin Mary. An Enlightened
    > Mystical Experience is something that comes to you from what I would
    > call 'Within.'
    >
    > Scott:
    > I would say that saying "Enlightened Mystical Experience is something
    > that comes to you from what I would call 'Within.'" is just as
    > misleading as saying it comes from 'without'. In both cases there is a
    > SOM presupposition: that something gets experienced, for example,
    > knowledge of "how the world is".
    >
    > Ron:
    > This knowledge simply does not depend on anyone or anything besides
    > yourself.
    >
    > Scott continues;
    > I also question your characterization of "Christian Mystical Experience"
    > as if it were all visions. Eckhart, the author of the Cloud of
    > Unknowing, and the contemporary mystic Bernadette Roberts are all
    > counter-examples. And of course, visions occur in all other traditions
    > as well.
    >
    > Ron:
    > Bernadette Roberts does not stick to the 'Christian' mystical
    > experience. If you are speaking in terms of Christianity evolving, I do
    > believe it will, but hasn't yet to accept this idea of 'No-Self'.
    >
    > Would you not agree?
    >
    > Ron said:
    > Thinking of Quantum Soup brings me to some thoughts about 'Emprical Data.'
    > It seems to me that in most fields, the use of the term 'Empirical Data'
    > is
    > more of an insult thrown toward the Empiricists, or those who depend too
    > much on what is considered emprical data.
    >
    > Scott:
    > I'm not at all clear on who you think is using 'Empirical Data' as an
    > insult. Could you give an example?
    >
    > Ron;
    > I'll save this Scott, and see what I can do about finding some examples.
    >
    > It is mainly in the finance and science journals.
    >
    >>From: "Scott Roberts" <jse885@localnet.com>
    >>Reply-To: moq_discuss@moq.org
    >>To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    >>Subject: Re: MD Pure experience and the Kantian problematic
    >>Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 11:58:58 -0700
    >>
    >>Ron,
    >>
    >>Ron said:
    >>The word 'Proven' is a gross overstatement, and should be excluded from
    >>philosophical language. :o)
    >>
    >>Scott:
    >>I agree. Proof only works in mathematics.
    >>
    >>As I see it, the nothingness of non-deity Zen is the same as the void,
    >>nothingness, or 'Quantum Soup.' It is all theory, and as like every theory
    >>we have had prior, such as Aether have been 'Reconsidered' (as opposed to
    >>disproven:)
    >>
    >>The only compliment of Quantum Physics to Nothingness of Zen is that both
    >>Quantum Physics and Zen have realized that they do not 'Know' what this
    >>nothingness consists of. Any knowledge we have is temporary. All we think
    >>we
    >>know is that everything came from this Nothingness for lack of a word
    >>because it cannot be described.
    >>
    >>Scott:
    >>I disagree. We know a lot about subatomic activity. What we cannot do is
    >>visualize it. But the mathematics does allow us to make predictions. Of
    >>course the theory may be overthrown and replaced by another, but the
    >>predictive ability we have will not go away, same with relativity
    >>replacing
    >>Newton. NASA still uses Newtonian physics to direct its spacecraft.
    >>
    >>Ron said:
    >>Let's just say that Quantum Physics leads us to think a bit closer toward
    >>Eastern philosophy, or what can be termed as spirituality.
    >>
    >>Scott:
    >>I agree, but there are many books out there which disagree, so this
    >>statement can be questioned. Is it a case, for example, that we have read
    >>spiritual meanings into QM only because we are inclined to do so because
    >>of
    >>prior leanings toward the spiritual? (Also, there is plenty of
    >>spirituality
    >>in Western philosophy as well.)
    >>
    >>Ron said:
    >>On empirical and SOM, and the MOQ being stuck on SOM in its use of the
    >>word
    >>empirical, is that I see you accepting, or being confused that a Mystic
    >>Experience is something other than enlightenment as to how the world is,
    >>that does not come from some 'Out There' field or force.
    >>
    >>Scott:
    >>I think both characterizations of mysticism given here are misleading, and
    >>subscribe to neither.
    >>
    >>Ron said:
    >>The difference between enlightenment and the Christian Mystical Experience
    >>is that you know prior to the experience what you are going to experience
    >>when you are looking for the Virgin Mary. An Enlightened Mystical
    >>Experience
    >>is something that comes to you from what I would call 'Within.'
    >>
    >>Scott:
    >>I would say that saying "Enlightened Mystical Experience is something that
    >>comes to you from what I would call 'Within.'" is just as misleading as
    >>saying it comes from 'without'. In both cases there is a SOM
    >>presupposition:
    >>that something gets experienced, for example, knowledge of "how the world
    >>is".
    >>
    >>I also question your characterization of "Christian Mystical Experience"
    >>as
    >>if it were all visions. Eckhart, the author of the Cloud of Unknowing, and
    >>the contemporary mystic Bernadette Roberts are all counter-examples. And
    >>of
    >>course, visions occur in all other traditions as well.
    >>
    >>Ron said:
    >>Thinking of Quantum Soup brings me to some thoughts about 'Emprical Data.'
    >>It seems to me that in most fields, the use of the term 'Empirical Data'
    >>is
    >>more of an insult thrown toward the Empiricists, or those who depend too
    >>much on what is considered emprical data.
    >>
    >>Scott:
    >>I'm not at all clear on who you think is using 'Empirical Data' as an
    >>insult. Could you give an example?
    >>
    >>- Scott
    >>
    >>
    >>
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