RE: MD Two Theses in the MOQ

From: Paul Turner (paul@turnerbc.co.uk)
Date: Mon Nov 21 2005 - 09:56:19 GMT

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    Platt,

    >Paul:
    >> >So, as with all knowledge according to this thesis, the intellectual
    >> >pattern of the MOQ is itself generated by a procession of value
    >> >judgements, which leads us to thesis (2).
    >
    >I translate this as: First, DQ produces value judgments, then value
    >judgments produce intellectual patterns. It's a two step process.

    Paul: First of all I think you need to be careful of conflating 'value'
    with 'value judgement'. As I understand it, individual value judgements are
    a *result* of ongoing undefined value i.e., Dynamic Quality, combining with
    existing static patterns(*). In the MOQ value judgements emerge as static
    quality. As such, a collection of related value judgements constitutes a
    static pattern. By a collection of related value judgements here I mean,
    for example, the step-by-step building of a theory or argument or thesis
    whereby you write something then ask, "Is this good? Does this sound right?
    Does this fit with the rest of the theory? Is this clear? Is it
    contradictory?" Each judgement will be influenced by what you know about
    logic, grammar, rhetoric etc, but also by a Dynamic sense of value which
    doesn't come from your static learning at all. Then you either keep what
    you have written, or modify it or even throw it out completely. Then you
    move on to the next bit and reflect again. The value judgements that have
    come before contribute to the next and this dependent progression
    constitutes the development and consistency of the overall intellectual
    pattern.

    In most experience the existing static patterns dominate the value judgement
    and reinforce themselves but occasionally the Dynamic Quality dominates and
    produces new value judgements which completely alter the existing patterns,
    send them in a new unexpected direction or even create entirely new ones.

    >So far so good. This goes along with DQ being pre-intellectual, pre-
    >conceptual, pre-idea.

    Paul: Well yes, i.e. value is pre-intellectual but value judgements aren't,
    they are static.

    >Paul:
    > > > In this
    >> >chapter we see a transition from the Dynamic Quality that *produces*
    >> >intellectual value judgments to the explanations that are the *result*
    >of
    >> >those value judgments
    >
    >Now we learn that DQ produces more than value judgments. It produces
    >INTELLECTUAL value judgments. The difference between plain old value
    >judgments and intellectual value judgments isn't explained.

    Paul: With respect to what I had written they are the same thing. However,
    I think we could talk about social value judgements as well. I think
    judgement implies an element of reflection or consideration so I think it
    would be a stretch to talk about biological or inorganic value judgements.

     Further, these
    >intellectual value judgments produce not intellectual patterns but
    >"explanations."

    Paul: Is this really confusing to you? Let's just say that collections of
    value judgements, as described above, are the basis of intellectual patterns
    and some of these patterns are what we would call explanations.

    >A bit further on, Paul introduces something new -- "ideas."
    >
    >Paul
    >> >"The [first thesis of the] MOQ says that Quality comes first, which
    >> >produces ideas, which produce what we know as matter..
    >
    >I thought Quality (DQ) produced value judgments, not ideas.

    Paul: Actually, this is a quote from LILA'S CHILD which I thought was made
    clearer by thinking of the two perspectives offered by the two theses. It
    wasn't included as an aid to the study of the term 'value judgements' which
    I thought was already understood.

    But anyway, as described above, ongoing DQ produces individual intellectual
    value judgements, a related collection of which is called a static
    intellectual pattern. 'Ideas' here means the same thing as 'static
    intellectual patterns' so it seems perfectly appropriate to say in short
    that DQ produces ideas. However, I would add that as static patterns build
    up from birth that it would be better to say that DQ and SQ combine to
    produce ideas.

     I thought
    >ideas came later and that they are also known as intellectual patterns
    >and/or explanations.

    Paul: 'Ideas' here means the same thing as 'static intellectual patterns'
    and some of these patterns are explanations.
      
    >Finally, Paul writes:
    >
    >Paul
    >> >Secondly, the term 'pre-intellectual', which is mostly used within the
    >> >context of thesis (1), could be modified to 'pre-static' (i.e. the
    >> >experience of indeterminate value prior to its contextualisation into
    >any
    >> >static patterns) when used within the context of thesis (2) so as not to
    >> >erroneously relate Dynamic Quality solely to the intellectual level.
    >
    >Here we seem to be back to "DQ produces value judgments" although
    >"indeterminate value" suggest no value judgments (quality decisions) have
    >occurred. "Contextualization into any static patterns" seems to be a fancy
    >way of saying intellectual patterns, but I'm not sure.

    Paul: I think your confusion comes from conflating Dynamic 'value' with
    static 'value judgements'.

    'Contextualisation' here means the contribution of static patterns to one's
    overall experience. Perhaps it is being used metaphorically with respect to
    inorganic and biological patterns, in which case 'conditioned' may be a
    better term.

    >So from my point of view, rather than clarifying differences between ZMM
    >and Lila, I'm more confused.

    Paul: Well, I did say ignore it if it confuses you, although I'm glad you
    didn't.

    >Questions left hanging are:
    >
    >Do value judgments occur on a sliding scale from good to awful?

    Paul: Yes.

    >Are value judgments ideas or feelings?

    Paul: Because of the implication of reflection and/or deliberation I would
    limit value judgements to being social and intellectual. What do you think?
     
    >Are ideas intellectual patterns?

    Paul: Social and intellectual I would say, depending on the content. An
    idea containing deliberate, systematic inference has an intellectual
    component.

    >Is there anything intellectual about value judgments?

    Paul: Yes, when it is an intellectual value judgement!

    >Do explanations always consist of intellectual patterns?

    Paul: Not necessarily. I think social patterns, e.g. the ancient creation
    myths, also provide explanations.

    >Are intellectual patterns always "contextualized?" If so, how?

    Paul: I think so, they are contextualised by the language, tradition,
    paradigm and culture within which they are created.
     
    >Does "contextualize" mean that intellectual patterns are always relative?

    Paul: Yes, in the weak sense of 'dependent' i.e. there's no absolute
    benchmark by which 'relative' has any teeth as an epistemic term.

    >Can an intellectual pattern be Dynamic?

    Paul: Strictly speaking, no. Intellectual patterns are static.

    Regards

    Paul

    (*) An exception to this would be found with a newborn infant with no
    social or intellectual patterns to contribute to value judgements. From the
    perspective of thesis (2), perhaps we could talk about the social patterns
    which might naturally build on the biological patterns, encouraged and
    reinforced by the social patterns of the parents, as contributing to the
    infant's value judgements. An interesting topic about which, parenting
    aside, I am woefully uninformed.

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