Re: MD What makes an idea dangerous?

From: David Harding (davidharding@optusnet.com.au)
Date: Thu Nov 06 2003 - 00:52:12 GMT

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    Hi Mark and Platt,

    Mark, I enjoyed reading this, however I have just a few nitpicks to make..

    Mark said:
    But no literature indicating dominance of intellectual patterns, and that is
    why Pirsig indicates the Bible as an example largely devoid of intellectual
    'cultural' value - but the Bible, in virtue of being the manipulation of
    symbols is, as a matter of MoQ fact, composed of intellectual patterns
    (written language). The language is socially directed, but writing, qua
    writing is an intellectual activity. You, I, and Pirsig agree.

    And I agree, brilliant!

    Platt said:
    Oh, oh. I'm confused again. Are you saying the Bible is a product of
    intellect but has no intellectual standing? Isn't that like saying the
    cave paintings are a product of thought but have no value in an
    intellectually dominated culture? Something seems wrong if that's the
    case. Or does beauty trump the intellectual?

    Mark replies:
    We are helping each other here, and i appreciate your support. Although
    writing narrative is an intellectual activity, the social

    (cultural?)

    value of the Bible has changed, whereas writing narrative as an intellectual
    activity is more or less the same as when the Bible was first produced.

    David H comments:
    Of course the rules are the same, but I think we have become smarter and
    learnt how to 'push' the barriers of those rules.

    Mark continues:
    (One may write Tensor short hand equations today, which are highly abstract
    and almost exclusively intellectual with virtually no social value, but
    writing them is no more complex than writing a, b, c, etc?)

    David H comments.
    To me, the hand that writes is biological, writing/reading words which
    symbolise what is not immediately apparent is intellectual and learning of
    the meanings of these words is social.

    Mark also said:
    The trick is i feel to envision all value levels evolving simultaneously and
    virtually independently? At any one time the balance between the four levels
    is shifting and changing - with small currents and large tides. We must take
    particular circumstances and explore the evolutionary state of the prevailing
    currents and Tides?

    Yes I think this is good!

    Mark continues:
    This may lead to apparent contradictions, but no more contradictory than
    the Scientist (Intellectual patterns) meeting his mistress (Organic patterns)

    David H : I would think that 'meeting' a mistress is a social activity,
    however the title Mistress would be biologically derived.

    in the seclusion of an out of town motel (social patterns).

    David H : To me, 'seclusion' implies a negation of social patterns, and in
    this case it's motivation is biological, the motel however, as a place that
    Bob owns and allows people to stay is social.

    Throughout the day, Mr. Scientist is changing in value from high
    Intellectual and social patterning, (Great physicist, socially status in
    the scientific community via reputation for good published work), through
    low Social patterning, (cheating on his partner, abandoned marriage vows,
    what about the kids? lousy bastard wouldn't trust him as far as you could
    throw him), through to high Organic value, (Mistress, foxy undergraduate,
    unethical in a tutor, etc, etc.)

    David responds:
    That seems ok.

    Mark says:
    As with the Scientist's day, so with millennial shifts and changes in
    cultures? Indeed, one may write a narrative of, 'A day in the life of Mr.
    X' and use it as an allegory of the last two thousand years if we wished?
    That may make for a good story?

    David says:
    Indeed, and one would already have the last 100 or so years to work from as
    Pirsig has already done it in Lila.

    Mark finishes:
    You brought in Beauty. Well, as you know, i agree with you in that Beauty
    is best in all our creative endeavours. Indeed, as any physicist worth his
    Salt would remind us, the best ideas are elegant, beautiful, and
    aesthetically pleasing. Quality.

    David comments:
    Agreed, but I think Beauty is more often used in regards to biological
    patterns.

    Cheers,

    David Harding

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