From: Scott R (jse885@spinn.net)
Date: Sat Jun 07 2003 - 19:15:16 BST
[Scott prev]> > I've found it useful to see the distinction between
> > social and intellectual
> > levels in my own thought, rather than in externals.
>
[Paul:> I think associating social patterns of value with
> thinking creates a fuzzy distinction between the 3rd
> and 4th levels. To me, it is better to say that
> thought is always an intellectual pattern of value.
It's not fuzzy to me at all. I am either mindful of what I am thinking or I
am not. After a bout of non-mindful thinking I can review it and note how it
was driven by socially-relevant assumptions. They are both rational, but use
different assumptions. The socially-driven thinking is that in which actions
are evaluated according to the overall assumption that I appear of high
quality in social situations (in simpler terms: fear of shame, pride of
accomplishment, etc.).
But it is a good point as to whether this takes one away from the MoQ (as
Pirsig views it). I think it doesn't, since if one removes the
socially-patterned thinking from, say the United Nations, then one is
considering inorganic and biological patterns.
You remark that the social pattern persists, even though the people involved
change. True. But what is persisting are -- so to speak -- embodied
thoughts, e.g., "Innocent until proven guilty" in a legal system. This
thought can be examined intellectually.
Why I think the distinction between (as I call it) social and intellectual
thinking is important is that without it, the MoQ would have little
soteriological value. The distinction being made has long been made as the
difference between attachment and detachment, which I consider vital.
There's more to this question, though, but I need to think about it more
before going on with it.
- Scott
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