Re: Re: MD The Individual Level

From: David Morey (us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Fri Apr 16 2004 - 20:00:54 BST

  • Next message: storeyd: "RE: MD junk or politics on this list"

    Hi Platt/Sam/Steve

    This is interesting. I have agreed with Sam until now but
    Steve has made me think. The mix is about intellect/freedom/DQ/
    individual. Maybe the level in terms of pattern is all about intellectual
    capacity/powers/knowledge. It is these patterns that make individuality
    possible, and it is an individuality that is the greatest expression of
    freedom/DQ
    yet achieved in nature. Any other thoughts?

    regards
    David M

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Platt Holden" <pholden@sc.rr.com>
    To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 5:13 PM
    Subject: Re: Re: MD The Individual Level

    > Hi Steve Peterson,
    >
    > > I think that the misunderstanding that suggests eudamonia level for Sam
    > > and individual level for Platt is conceiving of the levels as types of
    > > people rather than types of patterns of value.
    >
    > For myself, besides the arguments Sam presents, it's a question of
    dominance.
    > Only individuals create intellectual patterns. Most of us agree that those
    > patterns existed and still exist at the social level. But when the
    > individuals who created those patterns saw that the social level was a
    > hindrance to their free expression, they gathered sufficient power to
    > create a new level that freed them from the stifling confines of social
    > level patterns, you know, freedom of religion, of speech, trial by jury,
    > etc.
    >
    > > Eudamonia and individual describe people, whereas Pirsig's intellectual
    > > level is a collection of patterns of value of a particluar type.
    >
    > I don't see how you can divorce people from intellectual patterns.
    >
    > >When you
    > > think of the levels as types of patterns where intellectual patterns are
    > > simply patterns of thinking, then there is no need to do any renaming.
    >
    > I don't see how you can divorce individuals from patterns of thinking.
    >
    > > There is no better word than intellectual to describe the sort of
    pattern
    > > that Pirsig refers to by the fourth level.
    >
    > Sam and I disagree.
    >
    > > I hope that the problems that
    > > each of you found with the term intellectual will lead you to reconsider
    > > how you have been thinking about what Pirsig means by level. As Ayn Rand
    > > would tell you, when you encounter a contradiction, check your
    assumptions.
    > > There are no contradictions.
    >
    > I see no contradictions in renaming the Intellectual Level the Individual
    > Level. It's simply a proposal for a change for the better in the MOQ,
    > something Pirsig encouraged.
    >
    > Regards,
    > Platt
    >
    >
    >
    > MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
    > Mail Archives:
    > Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
    > Nov '02 Onward -
    http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html
    > MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
    >
    > To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
    > http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
    >

    MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
    Mail Archives:
    Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
    Nov '02 Onward - http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html
    MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net

    To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
    http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Apr 16 2004 - 20:35:54 BST