Re: MD Conflict

From: ian glendinning (psybertron@gmail.com)
Date: Wed Aug 17 2005 - 00:52:56 BST

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    Platt,

    Just when we're getting along so well you have to throw in rhetorical
    jibes at "some people" on the most controvesial subject of the day ...
    I almost despair ... beginning to look like Steve's advice on "ignore
    him" might have to prevail, yet again.

    Anyway, one last go.
    A good explanation / rationale ... you say ...
    Experience, (If you have it)
    Logical Consistency, (Next to worthless)
    Economy, (Less is more, but careful with that razor, Occam)

    No quality then ?

    Ian

    On 8/16/05, Platt Holden <pholden@sc.rr.com> wrote:
    > Hi Ian:
    >
    > > The main point - is about "combining" the best of both worlds,
    > > aesthetic and logical postivist ...
    > >
    > > So far so good.. Clearly a central point in the MoQ space, but it
    > > seems we have a difference in what "combining" means.
    > >
    > > You seem to suggest having them both in your toolbox is combining
    > > them, so that you can apply the aesthetic to "art" and the logical
    > > postive to apply objectively in "rational debate". Each remains a
    > > distinct component in your combination ? You still have distinct
    > > subjective and objective view points ?
    > >
    > > My view of combining them is as some fusion into a single tool, so
    > > that "rational debate" benefits from more that logic. A higher
    > > "quality" reasoning, that is neither objective nor subjective.
    > >
    > > You might think I'm hopelessly misguided in that view, but I'd still
    > > be interested to know that you get the point I'm making. (As you know, I
    > > prefer to synthesise than analyse and I'm looking for something to build
    > > on.)
    >
    > I think we can both admire Pirsig for doing what you suggest in his two
    > books -- rational argument benefiting from more than logic. I considered
    > both ZMM and Lila to be works of art. Whether the same can be accomplished
    > here in a discussion group is doubtful although at times there have been
    > posts to the MD that approach the poetic (none I can point to offhand, but
    > the impression remains). What concerns me about a rhetorical approach to
    > rational debate is the substitution of rhetoric for thinking. Right now,
    > for example, some people are in a swivet about "racial profiling" whereas
    > a little common sense would lead one to believe that searching
    > grandmother's pocketbook is not likely to catch a suicide bomber and save
    > lives. So I prefer to follow Pirsig's advice in seeking truth -- agreement
    > with experience, logical consistency, and economy of explanation.
    >
    > Platt
    >
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    >
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