[MD] The MoQ.org STRANGLES Creativity

[Steve Peterson]

Hi Arlo,
 [Steve]
I think that Pirsig's analysis in part says that intellectual freedom has 
undermined important social patterns.

[Arlo]
Careful here, amigo. You are treading into Platt's murky water. It is not 
that intellectual FREEDOM has undermined social PATTERNS (when they do, it 
is moral), but that intellectual PATTERNS have inadvertently supported 
biological PATTERNS against social PATTERNS (which is immoral). 

[Steve]
What I meant was that intellectual patterns have sided with biological patterns against social patterns as you say.

It is not the intellectual freedom or lack of social control over intellect that is the problem but rather that SOM value-free intellect is not up to the task of managing society.

[Arlo]
Intellectual patterns versus social patterns is not a matter of "freedom" 
versus "order", it is a battle of morally superior static intellectual 
patterns versus morally inferior static social patterns. Remember that it 
is completely moral, according to the MOQ, for intellectual patterns to 
dominate social patterns. And, if an "idea" destroys a society, then this 
is a moral outcome. It is when biological patterns destroy a society that 
we tread into immorality.

[Steve]

I think you are referring to Lila, chapter 22:
“It is better for an idea to destroy a society than it is for
a society to destroy an idea.  But having said this, the Metaphysics of
Quality goes on to say that science, the intellectual pattern that has been
appointed to take over society, has a defect in it.  The defect is that
subject-object science has no provision for morals.” 

The MOQ does not give unqualified support for every idea over every society.  It does not say that it is always moral for an idea to destroy a society. Why would it support a defective intellect over a healthy society? Saying that it is better for an idea to destroy a society isn’t to say that it is always good to do so. There are such things as bad ideas, and a bad idea like Communism or Nazism can ruin a society. 

However, the above does imply that it is absolutely bad for a society to destroy an idea. Society has no right to destroy an idea but intellect does have a duty to society because if it destroys society, it destroys itself. In short, the MOQ says that bad ideas should be taken down by better ideas rather than by society.


[Arlo]
The "freedom" versus "order" battle is fought on all MOQ levels, as DQ and SQ seek harmony. Static intellectual patterns can be as restrictive of "freedom" on the intellectual level, as static social patterns can be on 
the social level.

[Steve]
I agree, and I'll have to get back to you on your thoughts on spiritual blankness.

Regards,
Steve

 		
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