[MD] Distinguishing Levels

[Platt Holden]

Hey SA, 

>       Platt I'm trying to work with you on this
> discussion in a hope that I can understand where you
> are coming from.  When you say inorganic level
> activity is predictable, I question that.  When
> elements bond, for instance in the earth's mantle, can
> we really predict what these elements will become with
> such a wild mix of elements everywhere bonding,
> breaking up, and bonding again to some day come up
> through a volcano that is not predictable as to what
> the mixture of that future volcano will erupt. 
> Volcano's erupt different elements on the inorganic
> level from place to place who knows what the next
> volcano coming up from the sea floor or land will be. 
> The magma mixture in the mantle is very dynamic that
> what is there now, may not be there later.

I presume the various mixtures of elements that a volcano might produce will
not in any way change the table of basic elements, nor will a different 
heap of such elements constitute any sort of evolutionary step
forward. 

> Also, on the biological level, what will my son
> look like going through the developmental stages in
> the womb and out of the womb when that day comes?  I
> have no idea, and the sequences of DNA are not on a
> steady pattern of this is what the boy will look like
> and let's get there kind of attitude.  The environment
> influences brain develop and bodily development (food,
> water, sound, etc...)  I don't believe that there is
> an archetype or an ideal boy, flower, etc...  Why do
> flowers growing in a field with seemingly the same
> parents and environment grow with diversity?  So many
> factors are involved and this diversity is right down
> DQ's path.  I am having a hard time understanding your
> predictable, seemingly archetype or set pattern where
> everything has this ideal way of being with no
> individual mixture of freedom that something could
> quite possibly become where I'm pretty sure the flower
> and DNA have no idea what they will become, as they
> depend on the amount of sunlight, rain, all these
> unpredictable factors.
>      If, you can, please clear this up.

The fact that scientists are now beginning to manipulate and control 
DNA patterns indicates to me that it won't be long before you can order 
up exactly the baby you want as to looks, hair color, skin 
pigmentation, etc. not to mention sex. In the horticulture field 
scientist have long been able to manipulate and control breeding so 
that various new types of wheat, for example, have been developed to 
resist diseases.  My point is that the mechanisms by which variety in 
biological forms are produced are known.. By contrast, the formula for 
a successful metaphysics escapes the most dedicated practitioner of 
intellect. 

In sum, the ability of inorganic and biological forces to produce 
unpredictable surface results (like the weather) does not in any way  
change the understanding and predictability of the forces themselves. 
But the forces that change a society are neither understood nor 
predictable (except in Pirsig's thesis a general but undefined move 
towards betterness) and individual thoughts are likewise beyond any 
certainty whatsoever. I have no idea what thoughts my brain will 
generate in the next two minutes, or what revolutionary idea I will 
come up with tomorrow that will change the world. :-)  

Hope this helps to clarify my thinking. Of course, I could be wrong.    

Platt