[MD] Neoconservatism

[Steve Peterson]

Hi Gene,

You said:
> It's true, I have a lot of trouble in my mind
> differentiating between social
> and intellectual levels sometimes. 

Steve says:

For me clarity comes from thinking about Pirsig's use
of the term "pattern of value." The levels represent
types of patterns of value rather than types of people
or types of objects. Categories we use in every day
language usually refer to collections of patterns of
various types so those categories don't fall easily
into MOQ levels. For example, when we refer to a
specific person we don't mean a specific pattern but a
bunch of patterns. The idea of this person as a whole
unit is an inference from the patterns. In other
words, Lila doesn't have the patterns of value, the
patterns of value have Lila.

Craig:
>Mostly because I
> feel Society perpetuates
> most of the ideas in the world. Static Intellectual
> Patterns are all given
> to use at a young age by Society, things like 1+1=2.
> So shouldn't we
> consider them as also social patterns? 

Steve:
Society does not equal the social level. Nor does it
equal the values that society perpetuates. The social
level refers to a type of pattern of value. I
recognize this type of pattern as those that are
perpetuated through unconscious copying of behavior.

Biological patterns are maintained through DNA.

Intellectual patterns are maintained through copying
of rationales. We call our most stable intellectual
patterns "true" or "common sense." We judge
intellectual patterns based on consistency with other
high quality intellectual patterns and consistency
with experience. True and false only apply to the
intellectual level.

Regards,
Steve

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