[MD] my question

[John Carl]

Friendly greetings Platt,

Platt:

>
> What is a "narrow way of thinking?"
>
>
John:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_the_instrument

To a man with a hammer, all problems look like a nail.  To a man focused on
intellect, all the world looks intellectual.

Platt:


> You put art in the intellectual level?
>

John:

Well technically, I don't call the 4th level "Intellectual".  I've been
floundering around for a better label - I thought your "aesthetic" was a
good name for it.  Rationality is a form of art.  But yes, I definitely put
Art at the top of the 4th level.

Platt:


> Must everyone agree to attain harmony?
>
>
John:

You play guitar, Platt.  Have you ever played with somebody else?  You don't
need to play the exact same notes that they do to sound good, but you do
have to play in the same key.


Platt:

You put reason outside the intellectual level?
>
>
John:  I don't put reason entirely within the intellectual level.  Animals
reason to an extent.  Social patterns are reasoned out.

 Platt:


> Do you agree with Pirsig's explanation of why we're experiencing a "social
> catastrophe"? (Lila, 24)
>

John:

Everything I've read by Pirsig, in the context at the time I've been
reading, I've agreed with.  I can't conjure up any disagreement I have with
Pirsig.  I've disagreed with other's interpretations of his writing.

The issue you're referring to has to do with the intellectual control of
society.  I agree with Arlo's interpretation that when Pirsig wrote about
the problem, Pirsig was refering to the evolution of intellectual patterns
which were the cause of our current social catastrophe, and this
intellectual level was a PART of the overall intellectual patterning
available to humanity and since Pirsig was arguing for an expansion of human
intellect into areas beyond this narrow SOM, obviously this SOM was not the
whole picture of the level.

Or to put it another way, Humankind has been pounding away at life with just
a hammer, but there's more tools in the shop than that.  I'd say Bo's SOL is
in direct conflict with Pirsig's insight.

There's more ways to finger a string than to "hammer-on".

Thanks for engaging Platt.

John