[MD] Distinguishing Levels (Individual level)

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Ham] 
You are absolutely right, Platt.  Arlo knows this, but is bound by Pirsig's
doctrine to reject a dichotomous reality.  So he rationalizes Intellect as the
"collective" that includes cognizant awareness, intelligence, ideas,
value-sensibility, creativity, desire, and motivation -- in short, all the
faculties that are proprietary to the individual.

[Arlo]
Um, no. I reject that the dichotomy that purports that the "individual" and the
"collective" are oppositional, polar, or even wholly distinct entities. I unite
the "individual" and the "collective" as dialogical co-constructs on the social
level. 

[Ham]
The only human attributes that he allows are "behavior" and "response".  These
are acceptable because they can be understood as objective patterns.

[Arlo]
Oh man, I have not seen this much outright distortion in quite a while. Way to
go, Ham. You get my "Radio Talk Show Tactic Award" of the evening.

[Ham]
Only by ridiculing individuality as a myth of religious origin can the MoQ
acolytes effectively claim to have resolved duality.  The empirical fact that
experience is an individual function...

[Arlo]
Yes, albeit it requires both the "biological individual" and "the mythos" for
this to happen.

[Ham]
As you have stated, Platt, a dichotomy is the division of a larger entity. The
most obvious division in existence is the self/other dichotomy.

[Arlo]
Really, it's more obvious to me they are interwoven, not dichotomous. But, then
again, I'm just a dimwitted collectivist, so what do I know.

[Ham]
Is there any logical reason to expect this discussion to end in anything
approximating agreement?

[Arlo]
Maybe not today. Maybe not for us. But maybe the dialogic contribution to the
collective dialogue will have an impact on the emergent MOQ pattern at some
point in the future. Or, maybe not. Although, you've never "approximated
agreement" here with your Essentialism, and yet you keep trying. Why is that?
Is "optimism" and "self-belief" reserved for the Right as well?

Arlo