From: Trivik (trivik@stwing.upenn.edu)
Date: Sun Jul 13 2003 - 15:01:17 BST
> I have also yet to find anyone who has offered a better definition of
> intellect than Pirsig's "manipulation of symbols." (Since that is the
> author's definition, I take it to be "Q-intellect.") Anyone have a better
> definition?
"manipulation of symbolss" seams to me to be too broad a definition. by
symbol i understand an item which is used in place of an object as an
object. also, you cannot have a symbol unless you are able to manipulate
it (a usage of symbols is a manipulation of them). so any form of memory
is symbolic. eg that dog whose mouth starts to water when he hears the
bell is engaged in symb. manip. i'd even say eyesight is symbolic. and
it is more obvious that the social level works through symbols.
so takin in a broad sence one might say that the biological, social and
intelectual levels are concerned with symbols.
it seams that these three levels manipulate symbols in the sence that they
juggle around and use them, while the intelectual level alone manipulate
the symbols themselves. Sort of like the difference between using traffic
lights as a driver or even as a city planer tinkering with the stoop-go
patterns and actully going down and destroying a traffic light and
replaceing it with a gate or something.
this would also imply that the biological and social levels themselves
cannot create or alter any symbols, but mearly use the ones already
there. the creation/alteration would have to be a dynamic or intelectual
process.
so taking back what i initially said. if we call usage of symbols, just
that, then yes, symbolic manipulation or symbolic creation/alteration
would be a criteria of the intelectual level.
but is this sufficient? i suspect so, as altering or createing a symbol
itself would have to eaither be 1. a dynamic process or 2. an intentional
process; and intent implies self-awareness.
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