[MD] Just coincidence?

[Joseph Bromley]

>Hi Joseph,
>
>my mention of spontaneous chrystallisation and monkeys washing potatoes was
>because I was reminded of them by your examples - I didn't mean to suggest
>that  when two people say the same thing at the same time that is caused by
>chemical chrystallisations!  I have shared  that communication experience
>many times too; it is a happy sensation and is a great example of the power
>of all four of Pirsig's static levels of quality forming a foundation 
>strong
>and flexible enough for such a dynamic new event. I wasn't sure about the 
>focus of your email and was being provocative I suppose.

JCB
"From the military school of life. What does not kill me makes me stronger." 
Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols.
My personal taste is that I prefer to be attacked then to have my back 
slapped. Attacks are more inspirational, as an aspiring philosopher, it 
forces you to create ground from which one can fight back, static patterns. 
The back slapping just encourages lazyness and the repetion of that which 
brought the complement, no new patterns are needed.
>
>You said 'What is mind if not a collection of values?' - I like that. I
>don't think the mind is limited to the brain - we are psycho-physical
>organisms and have sensation throughout the body - indeed even beyond the
>body through sight, hearing and touch; to a certain extend I can partially
>relocate my self or mind from it's usual home (the brain) to say my hand
>merely by focusing my attention there.
>
>I don't think that when animals sense an impending earthquake or volcano
>they are displaying supernatural abilities - I watched a docu-drama about
>Krakatoa recently and it seems that the scientists in that area 'sensed' 
>the
>volcano months before the local animals did through their scientific
>devices. What I mean by supernatural is, as the word suggests, something
>above or outside nature and I am not trying to be flippant.  You mention
>Chi: I have read somethings about Chi development  suggesting that the real
>masters can do astral flying - perhaps I best sign up to their schools! I
>practiced Tai Chi Chuan for many years and very beneficial it was too.
>
>Perhaps, Joseph, it is time now for you to explain just what you mean by
>'collective mind'.
>
>Regards
>
>Peter

JCB.
The mind is not an individual thing,  2 + 2 = 4 is a value. As a value it is 
beyond anyone individual. It has worth because it is a value held by more 
than one person. Its worth grew because many individuals saw the gains that 
could be made by holding such a valuation. As such 2 + 2 = 4 is a 
"collective" valuation.

Is the body an individual body or part of the whole? A body has sensory 
organs whose interpretation is down to the individual, to an extent, as the 
interpretation of the senses is due to mind, mind being a collection of 
values, which are derived from experience, for most they are the values that 
they have been taught. Few create their own values like Pirsig. The sense 
organs are their primarily to inform an individual, to help it survive and 
prosper.
The mass that is the body never leaves the whole, it is gained and lost over 
the course of a lifetime from other forms of life and will be intergrated 
into other forms of the whole on ones death.
The breath that you take in, is an individuals breath, it goes into the 
lungs of an individual, but no one life form owns the air. The air I breath 
now has passed through and been intergrated into countless other life forms 
and will carry on being so.
You could argue that life on earth is a "collective body."
It is possible to argue for individuality or collectiveness, neither one is 
the whole truth.

Reards J C B.

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