[MD] Social Imposition ?

[MarshaV]

At 09:16 AM 12/17/2006, you wrote:
>Quoting ARLO J BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu>:
>
>
> > [Arlo]
> > I'm sorry, Platt. Differentiate for me the "collective consciousness" from
> > "mind".
>
>Glad to oblige. Consciousness extends to the biological level. My 
>cat, UTOE, is
>conscious. Ants can be said to have a collective consciousness. A 
>fully developed
>mind is an attribute of man alone. (See Pirsig's definition of mind.)
Platt,

On the other hand, it sounds like to equate man with "individual" or 
"self" is also a problem:

On self:  The MOQ, as I understand it, denies any existence of a 
"self" that is independent of inorganic, biological, social or 
intellectual patterns.  There is no "self" that contains these 
patterns.  These patterns contain the self.  This denial agrees with 
both religion mysticism and scientific knowledge.  In Zen, there is 
reference to "big self" and "small self,"  Small self is the 
patterns.  Big self is Dynamic Quality.  (Annotation 29, p.64)

On individual:  "It's important to remember that both science and 
Eastern religions regard "the individual" as an empty concept.  It is 
literally a figure of speech.  If you start assigning a concrete 
reality to it, you will find yourself a philosophic 
quandary."  (Annotation 77, p.250)

How would define your use of the word 'man'?

Marsha