[MD] Platt's Individual Level

[Platt Holden]

Hi Dan:

First, the background and context:

Quoting Dan Glover:
> > > This changing reality we mold is arising in dependence on causes and
> > > conditions. There is no object apart from that.

Platt asks:
> >As you know, many posit God as the "first cause." What is your 
> >understanding of the origin of "causes and conditions?" Thanks.
 
Dan replies:
 
>In a  word: Ignorance. The mistaken view where
> the objects of perception have an inherent existence separate and apart
> from the perceiver fosters the notion that there must be a "first cause"
> that started the whole sheebang. When people hold things to truly exist
> that is how the world appears to them. These people are like an audience
> watching a magic show. The illusions cannot arise without ignorance. The
> magician (on the other hand) sees only an appearance, for the magician
> knows the illusions are creations and nothing more.
 
If I understand you correctly you side with the Idealists who believe 
the existence of a separate world from our perceptions is an illusion. 
I agree with you that the divisions required by intellectualization are 
indeed illusory, except that in my understanding of Quality there 
appears to exist not only a creative force (DQ) but a survival force 
(static Quality). In Pirsig's words: "Without Dynamic Quality the 
organism cannot grow. Without static quality the organism cannot last. 
Both are needed." (Lila, 11)

Since from an MOQ perspective "need" is a "value" I'd suggest the 
illusions we need to survive -- to fulfill the "lasting" aspect of 
Quality -- are quite unlike the entertaining illusions of a magician,  
the former being far more valuable than the latter.

Giving the value of survival,  ignorance of the illusion of "dependence 
on causes and conditions" is bliss. And since such ignorance seems to 
have little adverse effect in a world where survival (static Quality) 
is such an important part of the game, perhaps ignoring our ignorance, 
just as we tend to ignore the mystics view that thought obscures 
reality, is the better way.  

Having said that, your answer to my question about "first cause" 
remains valid because no matter what answer is given, it has no bearing 
on our valuing an orderly world and a long life.   

Or have I missed your point entirely?

Best,
Platt