Re: MD What makes an idea dangerous?

From: Nathan Pila (pila@sympatico.ca)
Date: Fri Oct 31 2003 - 00:01:04 GMT

  • Next message: David Harding: "Re: MD The MOQ makes inroads"

    David,

    Once again I thank you for your response. I read what you wrote and want you
    to forgive me for not being able to get the meaning of the message. I accept
    that we have a framework that allows us to talk about the weather. We can
    say "it is raining" and this statement has meaning. Now my question is, what
    insight can I draw from what you have written? How can I use your 'view' on
    reality to my advantage? For example, if I am feeling badly about something,
    and wish not to feel sad or angry or envious or ...., how can I make use of
    the 'language games'?

    Or is my question out of the realm of what you are speaking about?

    By the way, I am now 3/4 of the way through ZMM. I found the long discussion
    on 'quality' confusing. Maybe at the end, it will all come together for me.

    Regards to you,

    Nathan

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "David MOREY" <us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk>
    To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 1:35 PM
    Subject: Re: MD What makes an idea dangerous?

    > Nathan
    >
    > OK, so here we have truth as being that which is implied in
    > the definition of the words we are using. You and I accept
    > that the experience of certain patterns will be called 'its raining'.
    > We have decided to cut reality up in a certain way. Raining or
    > not raining. The conceptual framework we have dreamed up
    > is used to invent the idea of a weather system with different states.
    > You might like to say it is 'raining now'. Having agreed our definitions
    > up front we can then look out of the window and decide is it 'raining
    now'.
    > So we can use our intersubjective agreement about our invented conceptual
    > frameworks. This enables a world in which weather can occur to appear.
    > Hence, for us post-modernists it is interpretation all the way down.
    > Although, as a critical realist I am quite happy to talk about nature
    > joining
    > the conversation of our langauge games. And as someone willing to do
    > metaphysics I would like us to talk about this strange capacity to play
    > language games and open a clearing in which Being appears.
    >
    > regards
    > David M
    >
    > ----- Original Message -----
    > From: "Nathan Pila" <pila@sympatico.ca>
    > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 9:14 PM
    > Subject: Re: MD What makes an idea dangerous?
    >
    >
    > > David,
    > >
    > > A statement is true if it conforms with and is congruent with what our
    > > senses tells us.
    > > If I tell you that it is raining outside, and you look and see puddles
    and
    > > rain drops then you would accept that my claim is true. N'est pas?
    > >
    > > Nathan
    > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > From: "David MOREY" <us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk>
    > > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > > Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 2:17 PM
    > > Subject: Re: MD What makes an idea dangerous?
    > >
    > >
    > > > Hi
    > > >
    > > > Maybe we can shift this argument about truth to
    > > > one about epistemology. Shall we discuss some specific
    > > > things we wish to say are true? What do we mean by them being true?
    > > >
    > > > regards
    > > > David M
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > > From: "David Buchanan" <DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org>
    > > > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > > > Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 12:33 AM
    > > > Subject: RE: MD What makes an idea dangerous?
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > > Andy and all truth seekers.
    > > > >
    > > > > Andy said:
    > > > > I still don't understand the source of your irritation with Matt and
    > > > Rorty.
    > > > > I think you believe you have made some very specific objections that
    > > Matt
    > > > is
    > > > > avoiding, but I think he has honestly addressed each and every one
    of
    > > > them.
    > > > > Perhaps, it is becuase your points are do not come accross as clear
    to
    > > us
    > > > as
    > > > > they are to you.
    > > > >
    > > > > dmb says:
    > > > > I'd be happy to try and make my points clear. As I've said,
    answering
    > > > > questions and addressing objections is what its all about and I'm
    glad
    > > to
    > > > do
    > > > > it. But apparently I'm not worthy to speak of Rorty and so there
    > aren't
    > > > many
    > > > > questions asked about my thoughts, just dismissive insults and such.
    > > > >
    > > > > Andy said:
    > > > > I still don't know how this helps us recognize truth. Or how to
    > > identify
    > > > a
    > > > > dangerous idea. Or how to reveal the "right" morals to live by.
    You
    > > have
    > > > > said truth and morality are as real as trees and rocks, but you
    don't
    > > > offer
    > > > > us any way to percieve this reality. I don't see how Pirsig has
    given
    > > us
    > > > > another option. Do you see why I am confused? If truth is not what
    > we
    > > > can
    > > > > agree upon and if it is not absolute then what is it? How do we
    know
    > > it?
    > > > > Understand, that I am open to the possiblity of another way to
    > identify
    > > > > truth, if you can present it. I just have not grasped onto what it
    is
    > > you
    > > > > might be saying.
    > > > >
    > > > > dmb says;
    > > > > I don't think I was trying to answer all those big questions. We
    could
    > > get
    > > > > at them. They're good ones. But my point here is much more narrow
    than
    > > > that.
    > > > > My point is simply that Pirsig and Rorty have different theories of
    > > truth.
    > > > > (It seems they are hostile to each other in other fundamental ways
    > too.)
    > > > I'm
    > > > > just saying that Pirsig's theory of truth doesn't seek or lay claim
    to
    > > the
    > > > > absolute Truth. Nor does it assert that truth is merely a property
    of
    > > true
    > > > > statements. The MOQ's assertion that truth is simply a high quality
    > > > > intellectual explanation is far less grandiose than absolute Truth,
    > but
    > > it
    > > > > is far more "solid" and real than a property. For Pirsig, our truths
    > > about
    > > > > reality are more than a collective hunch too. Its the third choice
    you
    > > > asked
    > > > > for. The MOQ can't construe truth as a propery of statements because
    > > > > intersubjective agreement is still just subjectivity. In ZAMM he's
    > > trying
    > > > to
    > > > > get us to see technology, like his motorcycle, as ideas forged in
    > steel.
    > > > > He's asserting that the Buddha can be found in the gears of his
    > machine
    > > > just
    > > > > as well as in the petals of a lotus flower. The MOQ makes the idea
    > part
    > > of
    > > > a
    > > > > larger system where ideas are a product of creation in and of
    > > themselves,
    > > > > not an attribute of some other thing. In this picture, we don't
    agree
    > > > about
    > > > > the truth of ideas, we ARE ideas - among other things. There are
    > > propably
    > > > > lots of better ways to get at the differences, but I'd imagine you
    see
    > > > what
    > > > > I'm getting at by now. Let me know.
    > > > >
    > > > >
    > > > >
    > > > >
    > > > >
    > > > >
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