[MD] Distinguishing Levels

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Platt]
Pirsig clearly defines the MOQ social level in the following excerpts  from
Lila's Child:

[Arlo]
Yes, I know. That's why I said Pirsig is wrong on this one. In the quote you
provide, he confuses the "ant" with "ant social behavior".

[Platt]
An ant colony is detectable by seeing it, as is a primate group and pod  of
dolphins. They are detectable. We can take a picture of them with an 
instrument called a camera. But a human society?  

[Arlo]
I can take a picture of a city. In fact, I have several. Pirsig clearly says a
"city" is a "social pattern". Yesterday, I took a picture of our HOG group.
Does that mean our group is a "biological pattern"?

[Platt]
Would Case and Arlo argue that atoms that combine to make a cloud are a 
society?

[Arlo]
I would argue instead that "social patterns" are defined by symbolic mediation
between the individuals of which it is made. Although the human body is a
collective a cells, it is not a "social pattern", but an advanced biological
collective, just as the cell itself is a biological collective. The levels
contain increasing examples of complexity, until at some point the jump is from
"more complex" to "whole new thing".

[Platt]
Of course, if Case and Arlo are right, if wouldn't be the only mistake  Pirsig
made, like his misnaming of the intellectual level. :-)

[Arlo]
No, Platt. That's your mistake. :-)

Arlo