[MD] Quantum Physics, Amerindians, Zen, the woods, beyond SOM

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Platt to SA]
I doubt if Pirsig would be happy to have his metaphysics considered 
inhabited by spirits

[Arlo cites ZMM]
"It’s completely natural," I say, "to think of Europeans who believed in 
ghosts or Indians who believed in ghosts as ignorant. The scientific point 
of view has wiped out every other view to a point where they all seem 
primitive, so that if a person today talks about ghosts or spirits he is 
considered ignorant or maybe nutty. It’s just all but completely impossible 
to imagine a world where ghosts can actually exist."

John nods affirmatively and I continue.

"My own opinion is that the intellect of modern man isn’t that superior. 
IQs aren’t that much different. Those Indians and medieval men were just as 
intelligent as we are, but the context in which they thought was completely 
different. Within that context of thought, ghosts and spirits are quite as 
real as atoms, particles, photons and quants are to a modern man. In that 
sense I believe in ghosts. Modern man has his ghosts and spirits too, you 
know."

"What?"

"Oh, the laws of physics and of logic—the number system—the principle of 
algebraic substitution. These are ghosts. We just believe in them so 
thoroughly they seem real.

[Arlo then adds]
I'd say he'd quite readily acknowledge his metaphysics is inhabited by ghosts.