RE: MD the metaphysics of free-enterprise

From: Paul Turner (paul@turnerbc.co.uk)
Date: Mon Jul 26 2004 - 13:56:59 BST

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    Hi Mel

    Ignore the last post; I hit "send" instead of "save" when it wasn't
    finished. (Also, if you get this twice, sorry, my mail server has told
    me it didn't send so I'm sending it again, just in case.)

    Paul previously said:
    ...I think the personal or individual success (or failure) that you
    "hold out for" also occurs at other levels, so cannot be a defining part
    of the intellectual level. In my experience, the most dominant measure
    of personal success is wealth - a social level phenomenon. ..Anyway, in
    my understanding of the MOQ, subordinating intellectual patterns to a
    primarily social level goal of individual success is immoral.

    Mel said:
    Most people that I have encountered who truly believe wealth to be THE
    significant measure of success for individuals have either:
    A) Never made any real amount of money whatsoever ::or::
    B) They are developmentally stunted individuals of low quality

    Paul:
    Regardless, the question remains - is it the most *dominant* measure of
    success in western society?

    For instance, here is a dictionary (M-W) definition of "success":

    "degree or measure of succeeding b : favorable or desired outcome; also
    : the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence"

    Wealth is clearly linked with success enough for it be part of its
    definition. To put it another way, I ask you the same question I asked
    Platt - do you think intellectual quality is the most dominant measure
    of success in western society?

    Mel said:
    More typically the use of SUCCESS is oriented towards more specific
    examples of an Outcome compared to an Intent. e.g. A successful.
    surgery, garden, construction project,
    dramatic performance, recital, fruit crop, training.etc.

    Paul:
    Okay, but I'm talking about success in general terms, e.g. the answer to
    the question a teacher may ask of a former student, "How is Paul doing?"
    The answer to this would not normally be, "I hear he has just finished a
    great loft conversion."

    Mel said:
    We seem to have an implicit association of:
    MONEY = Social Artifact.
    Money may be just as much an intellectual tool as a social one.
    Remember, the intellectual level is still dependent on the social and as
    such will make use of it.

    Paul:
    This is true, but I think the only intellectual aspects of money would
    be the static patterns that make up the academic area of economic theory
    and the mathematical formulae which accountants and treasurers use.

    Mel said:
    Non-commercial research is an example of a use of money for
    intellectual...

    Paul:
    Yes, I would say that is an example of intellectual patterns using
    social patterns to enable their evolution.

    Cheers

    Paul

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