[MD] Platt's Individual Level

[Gene M]

> Please cite one idea resulting from brainstorming that attains the
> significance
> of ideas of Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Ampere, Helmholtz, Hertz, Curie,
> Plank,
> Eintein and a thousand and one other individuals who are credited with
> achieiving
> great things in the arts and sciences.
>
> Platt


I can't. I simply am ignorant of any such fact. Although I think the most
interesting thing here is the word 'credited'. These individuals are
"credited with achieving great things". It's society that makes them
important as individuals. Their ideas can be famous without them.

As individuals they were extremely beneficial to society, so we remember
them. Their ideas were extremely beneficial to intellect, so we remember
those as well. We just happen to remember them in a way that links the two
kinds of importance together. That's society's doing.

A great idea doesn't need to make anybody famous to be great. A great idea
is retained for it's own benefit. The idea Can be unlinked from the thinker.

The story related by Pirsig makes the point that individuals are responsible
> for social evolution. Other stories about the brujo are irrelevant.


So the truth is irrelevant? That seems an odd stance to take. Not a very
intellectual stance to take...

-Gene