Re: MD a nihilist

From: Valuemetaphysics@aol.com
Date: Sun Jun 06 2004 - 01:47:34 BST

  • Next message: Valuemetaphysics@aol.com: "Re: MD a nihilist"

    Dear Mark,

    Thank you for your patience and gentleness. It seems I spoke to soon.

    I've read ZMM five times and listened to it twice on tapes (unabridged). ZMM
    is like a pool of cool, fresh water I return to when I become too lost.
    I've read Lila twice, and recently bought the unabridged tapes to walk with in
    the morning. I have started reading Guidebook to ZMM. I am not an expert, and
    only wish to understand better. I do not have a PhD, and I am an
    Intellectual. I have tried to study Eastern philosophy and Western philosophy. I found
    Eastern philosophy very hard. I found Western philosophy to be Intellectuals
    talking to each other saying little of value. But Philosophy was not my
    life's work. It was only my private search. Most of my professional life was
    working with computers on business systems.

    Mark 6-6-04: Hi Marsha, Thank you for your generous support. I appreciate it.
    I agree with your comments.
    I think you will find Anthony McWatt's essay, 'Pirsig's MOQ' a valuable
    addition to your reading. This essay is clear and concise. I recommend it highly.
    It's available at the MOQ.org essay page. Print it off and bind for future
    reference!

    I became a widow and six years ago quit my job to become a painter (oil). I
    am a student of painting, and never considered painting for profit. Painting
    brings me moments of joy, and I like the idea of bringing into this existence
    joy in any quantity.

    I pay attention to my countries politics, and try to participate as best I
    can. But at the moment I am mightily discouraged. Both the Democrats and
    Republicans, and the three branches of our government seem hopelessly
    dysfunctional.

    Mark 6-6-04: You are not alone Marsha.
    I think your painting may be a good way of exploring the MOQ. From this, all
    else will follow.

    So you think that these heated debates are useful. I am curious. My
    understanding is that logic, both inductive and deductive, has some major flaws.
    What could the value in these battling intellectual patterns be?

    Mark 6-6-04: Intellectual activity is an art. Logic is one of the artists
    tools, but logic comes in a number of forms, and the appropriate form for the job
    in hand depends on an aesthetic appreciation of the materials. The aesthetic
    appreciation is of Quality.
    This statement may be challenged, but this is not what is going on with
    regard to the reaction to Chomsky. Chomsky has indicated that US power lies in the
    hands of an economic elite. This elite appears to have undermined social,
    intellectual and biological Quality. For example, with regard to biological
    Quality alone, in the late 1980's and early 1990's, the only other country in the
    world apart from the US which had a severe disparity between the birth
    fatalities of its rich and its poor was South Africa. (Deterring Democracy - Noam
    Chomsky. CH. 2)

    If I have been out-of-line, I apologize. I will be quiet until I feel more
    at home. I will listen. I will try to discover more about the four levels.

    Thank you.

    MarshaV

    Mark 6-6-04: You are not out of line Marsha. It looks to me as if you are
    thinking hard about the MOQ.

    All the best,
    Mark

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