Re: MD Re: The mystical conceptual divide

From: Bart Scholten (scholten.b@hetnet.nl)
Date: Thu Apr 08 2004 - 23:02:53 BST

  • Next message: Valence: "Re: MD Re: The mystical conceptual divide"

    Hello Rick,

    I think intuition should be part of the equation and for me that is DQ (it
    comes before anything else!)

    Regards
    Bart

    >>
    >> Hi Rick
    >
    > I have switched the below note to the discuss area.
    >>
    >> In case it helps this is how I think about the relationship
    >> between quality and conceptual thought/metaphysics.
    >> Reality=quality=experience=DQ/SQ=Being/Becoming.
    >> This is the totality/undivided. There is something irreducibly
    >> mystical/unlimited/transcendent/open about experience.
    >> It pours through us, it is ungraspable as a whole as Wittgenstein
    >> says. However, the SQ, the patterns are graspable to some extent,
    >> we can use concepts to grasp more and more of it, although fallibly,
    >> although never finally and totally because it always remains to
    >> some degree, or in part, transcendent. Like yin and yang, you
    >> can move towards yin but never completely eliminate yang.
    >>
    >> any use....
    >> David M
    >>
    >>
    >> ----- Original Message -----
    >> From: <Valuemetaphysics@aol.com>
    >> To: <undisclosed-recipients:>
    >> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 5:13 PM
    >> Subject: Re: MF Re: March 2004 - Metaphysics and the mystical reality.
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>>>
    >>>> Hi Rick,
    >>>>
    >>>> R
    >>>> Pirsig says that the MoQ's value is in providing a new central term for
    >>>> mysticism, a topic which he believes 'a scientifically oriented mind'
    >>>
    >>>
    >> would
    >>
    >>>> consider claptrap. I'm not sure why simply renaming a philosophical
    >>>
    >>>
    >> concept
    >>
    >>>> would convince anyone to reevaluate it (renaming 'creationism' as
    >>>> 'intellegent design' didn't change my opinion the quality of that
    > theory).
    >>>>
    >>>> Mark: 5-4-04: Mysticism is not conceptual, that is why many
    > philosophers
    >>>
    >>>
    >> and
    >>
    >>>> scientists have a problem with it. Indeed, you are generating similar
    >>>
    >>>
    >> problems
    >>
    >>>> by placing the conceptual horse before the mystic cart, and this is
    >>>> confusing.
    >>>> One of the serious problems i find in these discussions is the nature
    > of
    >>>
    >>>
    >> the
    >>
    >>>> discussion itself; if the discussion is conceptual, then there is no
    > way
    >>>
    >>>
    >> we
    >>
    >>>> are going to progress.
    >>>> For this reason, and it is a rational decision, we should leave DQ well
    >>>> alone. As Pirsig himself suggests, we can discover a great deal about
    > DQ
    >>>
    >>>
    >> by
    >>
    >>>> discovering what it is not.
    >>>>
    >>>> Rick:
    >>>> I think that scientist he's talking about would just say something
    > like,
    >>>
    >>>
    >> "you
    >>
    >>>> can call it whatever you want but it's still just the same metaphysical
    >>>> claptrap."
    >>>>
    >>>> Mark: 5-4-04: Experience is not claptrap. If a scientist wishes to
    > define
    >>>> Quality, then let him/her do so.
    >>>>
    >>>> But I think Anthony gets right to the heart of the question when
    >>>> he writes....
    >>>>
    >>>> McWATT (from his textbook 2:3:5)
    >>>> "Firstly, the MOQ centres round the term 'Quality' (with a capital 'Q)
    >>>
    >>>
    >> which
    >>
    >>>> is used, interchangeably with 'Value'. 'Quality' is used to denote
    >>>
    >>>
    >> reality
    >>
    >>>> (by which Pirsig means the totality of what exists) in addition to its
    >>>> traditional context (i.e. as a synonym for excellence). In LILA, the
    > term
    >>>> 'Quality' is interchangeable with the term 'Dynamic Quality' when a
    > mystic
    >>>> viewpoint is taken. This can be confusing at times though the
    >>>
    >>>
    >> understanding
    >>
    >>>> that Pirsig is alluding to can usually be understood in the context of
    > the
    >>>> particular passage."
    >>>>
    >>>> R
    >>>> ..I agree with Ant when he notes that Pirsig's use of Quality and
    > dynamic
    >>>> quality as interchangeable 'in a mystic context' is confusing but I
    > don't
    >>>> understand the second half of that sentence.
    >>>>
    >>>> Mark: 5-4-04: This goes back to which hat you are wearing, either your
    >>>> mystical or conceptual hat. The conceptual is inside the mystical, and
    > if
    >>>
    >>>
    >> you mix
    >>
    >>>> them up you discover you cannot place the One inside the other.
    >>>> But don't ask me to explain the One because nobody can.
    >>>> The question i find interesting is how we move forward from this point?
    >>>
    >>>
    >> These
    >>
    >>>> discussions rather become caught up chasing a tail that will always be
    > one
    >>>> step ahead of the chace.
    >>>>
    >>>> When dmb asks if the MoQ helps with the apparent distinction between
    > the
    >>>> mystic and metaphysics, i would agree the answer is yes. This is
    > because
    >>>
    >>>
    >> DQ is not
    >>
    >>>> conceptualised in the MoQ.
    >>>>
    >>>> Rick:
    >>>> It sounds as though he's conceding that Pirsig uses the terms
    >>>
    >>>
    >> inconsistently
    >>
    >>>> but that it's okay as long as one doesn't try and read it all together.
    >>>>
    >>>> Mark: 5-4-04: Or, one may wish to say, that in the conceptual realm of
    >>>> understanding, we are at an appropriately sophisticated level of
    >>>
    >>>
    >> perception as to
    >>
    >>> choose not to extend concepts to the mystical realm of experience?
    >>>
    >>> All the best,
    >>> Mark
    >>
    >>
    >
    >
    >
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