[MD] Intellect's Symposium

[Mary]

Hi Bo, Marsha and all,

I do not know who Paul Turner is, and I do not know why Pirsig wrote to him,
nor when.  Perhaps you can point me to these letters?  Based on the snippets
you quote, though, I am disturbed.  He appears to be watering down the
original MoQ.  I hate to see it.

I started rereading Lila for the first time in 10 years just the other
night.  I am on Page 37 of the Bantam paperback.  Yes, I am a slow reader,
and also, my job prevents me from having much free time to do anything.
Someday, someone will invent software that is smart enough to fix itself.
At which time I will no longer have a job.  There will be a day when this
happens to most of us.  It has already happened to many.  Cloud Computing is
bad news for those of us in the computer field.  Anyway, so far in the book,
everything is an object lesson in the (not yet revealed) definition of the
Social level.  A good place to start.

Early on, Pirsig mentions that he considered naming the MoQ the "Metaphysics
of Value".  I kind of wish he had stuck with that, at least as far as it
relates to the levels.  IMHO, the difference between the levels lie not in
their mechanical differences, but in what they _value_.  Why is it so hard
for many to see that the Intellectual level has _nothing_ to do with IQ,
thinking, or thinking about thinking?  That set of patterns has been there
to one degree or another from the very start.  To argue with me about this
requires you to convince me that the people who wrote the old testament were
of a different species.  There is plenty of "intellect" in the Biological
level.  There is plenty of "intellect" in computer systems today too.  Are
computers operating on the Intellectual level?

As I see it the S/O split has existed from time immemorial.  My dog
understands that she is different from the dog food she is eating, and me -
who scratches her behind her ears.  No, she does not recognize herself in a
mirror, but you gotta remember that dogs "see" the world mainly in terms of
scent.  They only see in black, white, and red (handy to see blood if you
are a carnivore, I think).  When she looks at herself in the mirror, there
are no smells coming back to her.  Same if I show her a picture of a dog.
In her world these things have no value, because they do not smell like the
thing they represent.  So much of science is homo-centric.  The mirror test
somebody mentioned is a prime example.  IMO, this is pseudo-science, ripe
for starting a religion around, as all pseudo-science is.  

The S/O split did not start with Aristotle.  He was an individual with a
name, among a group of other individuals with names.  Any situation where
naming is involved indicates that the S/O split is long entrenched.
Wouldn't you agree?  The S/O split began in the Biological level, serves an
essential purpose, and is a very necessary pattern of value if you want to
get through the day.  It works.  If I am one with the Universe (i.e., the
Universe is me and I am it), why not try to position my car in the exact
same location in space and time as your car?  I believe this is otherwise
known as a car wreck.

There has been an ongoing low-level disagreement between you and Marsha
about her "Wooly headed" meanderings into Buddhism.  I agree, though likely
not for the same reasons you do.  IMHO, these "moon meanderings" are nice,
but are not useful to me.  I cannot use any of Marsha's statements to assist
me with solving a computer problem, getting my son to do his homework, or
cooking dinner.

Mary's definition of the Intellectual Level based on Lila:  It is the
pattern of values which hold seeking the truth above all preconceived
notions and strongly held beliefs.  It is the pattern of value that takes
the personal ego out of the equation.  The Intellectual level values finding
the truth - even if it turns out that you are wrong.

Best wishes,
Mary
- The most important thing you will ever make is a realization.