From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Wed Jun 04 2003 - 17:19:38 BST
Hi Scott, Steve, All:
> I've found it useful to see the distinction between social and intellectual
> levels in my own thought, rather than in externals. Social level thinking
> is that which is driven by social concerns, and is not much under my
> control. What Buddhists call monkey-mind. On examination, one can usually
> see that it is driven by fear, greed, anger, etc. It is the "when he said X
> I should have said Y" kind of internal monologue.
>
> Intellectual level thinking is, then, thinking for the thought itself. What
> scientists or philosophers do when they are not influenced by dreams of
> Nobel prizes or tenure, or sounding good in a discussion group. Or what
> anyone does when they are being mindful
>
> Intellectual thought is autonomous thought -- driven by the thought and not
> the ego of the thinker. (Ego, as I see it, is a social level phenomenon).
>
> In practice, since the intellectual level is young, the intellectual
> thought is rare and when present, mixed in with the social (e.g., a thought
> sequence can start on the intellectual level but soon gets overwhelmed by
> social concerns.)
Interesting view of social vs.intellectual levels. Makes me wonder if we
shouldn't look at all levels as interior phenomenon since the MoQ rests on
a foundation of observers being a necessary catalyst of reality. Steve has
championed the interior world with good effect I think, and one way to
kill off SOM for good is to rule out objectivity completely and admit once
and for all that everything we think, know and say about the world is
located somewhere between the ears.
Just read this morning of a new book out by F. H. Buckley entitled "The
Morality of Laughter." Although restricted to social level ethics, the
author makes a good argument. As the reviewer writes, "His larger purpose
is to supplement the dry rationalism of modern life with the aesthetic
grace that laughter encourages. Any ethics worth its salt helps us not
merely to live morally but to live well. 'We might,' Mr. Buckley urges,
'follow all the Commandments and still be dull, priggish and pretentious.'
Laughter is a tonic antidote to these vices. It is also, Mr. Buckley
notes, the companion of joy and 'of all things, the ability to find joy in
life is our chief earthly good.' "
The MoQ should be about finding joy in life as much as explaining how the
world works. I've often thought that the line near the end of Lila --
"That's a good dog" -- kinda put a joyful spin on the whole serious
business of doing metaphysics. Likewise, when Pirsig wrote, "Getting drunk
and picking up bar ladies and writing metaphysics is part of life," he
gave us a touch of "aesthetic grace."
Now to find more humor in my own interior musings, something I find rather
difficult on a day to day basis. But, worth the effort I'm sure. :-)
Platt
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