From: Allen Barrows (allen_barrows@yahoo.co.uk)
Date: Sun Jun 26 2005 - 14:20:14 BST
Hello Scott, I see your are interested in the work of Owen Barfield.
Barfield takes the view that everything is consciousness from matter to Human thought - it is all the same to him. In other words, everything is consciouse.
If this view of Barfields is so then there are no subjects and objects because these are just degrees of sophistication of consciousness itself which are evolutionary phases in its development. The intellect is has no SOM basis.
SOM is an appearence and it may well be viewed that triangles and goats are appearences also - there is no logical distinction.
No logical distinction, but in a value centred view of life some things are more useful than others - triangles make great pyramids, but goats are not helpful in this regard.
Triangles are good for making great pyramids which is to say they are valued.
The Egyptions valued triangles and must have had a symbolic repertiore of them before they built anything? That symbolic repertiore contains relationships the intellect only can grasp - symmetry, measured proportion, scale, similarity, etc. Although the Egyptions may have had no distinction between Gods and ideas, it is clear vlaue was already at work in abstract symbolic terms.
Barfield may have argued that abstract symbolic terms are appearences also and i would have no argument in agreeing with him that triangles are idols. Idols appreciated by the intellect which can build large stone monuments to a social King. And Kings are idols too.
Pythagoras treated his idols with reverence because of the intellectual value they radiated. It does not matter if they are appearences or not, they tingle the intellect like nothing else can. You can keep your thrones and crowns when you stare at triangular idols.
And if you wish to insist these are more real because they provide endless enjoyment while thrones and crowns do not, what of that? This is a social assertion is it not?
The mighty triangle lives for ever!
But intellect came first. SOM has nothing to do with the intellect.
Thank you,
Allen
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