[MD] Flying Spaghetti Monsters

[Platt Holden]

Hi Ham, 

[Platt]
> > Let not your heart be troubled.  I do not demean awareness
> > nor does Pirsig. His entire metaphysics begins with pure awareness.
> > It's just that for some reason you find it better to confine awareness to
> > human beings ...

[Ham] 
> I don't mean to sound ungrateful for your words of comfort, Platt, but
> "pure awareness" equates to nothingness.  I doubt that Pirsig would have
> needed to speak of awareness in its primordial form, since this would
> involve a metaphysical concept which he shunned.  (To be aware presupposes
> a referent object -- something to be aware of.)  Perhaps you can quote me
> the source of that assertion.

"Pure experience cannot be called either
physical or psychical: it logically precedes this distinction." (Lila, 29)

"The Metaphysics of Quality says pure experience is value." (Ibid.)

"It adds that this good is not a social code or some intellectualized 
Hegelian Absolute. It is direct everyday experience. Through this 
identification of pure value with pure experience, the Metaphysics of 
Quality paves the way for an enlarged way of looking at experience which 
can resolve all sorts of anomalies that traditional empiricism has not 
been able to cope with." (Ibid.)


> > I find it somewhat ironic that you cite proprietary awareness
> > as the essential criterion for a meaningful philosophy but can
> > only find a couple of others who understand it. That in itself
> > tells me something's missing from Essentialism.
> > But, I could be wrong.
> 
> It should tell you that the 'valuistic premise and ontology of my
> philosophy represent a departure from traditional idealism.  The
> perspective requires a totally "subjective" approach to reality, which few
> people find readily conceivable.  What do you think is "missing"?   A
> theory that would extend proprietary awareness to "all creatures great and
> small" -- plus atoms, rocks, and trees?

Yes, to all creatures great and small, plus atoms and trees, but not 
rocks.  Rocks are heaps, not holons. As I've said many times, I'm a 
panexperientialist. I look at my cat, UTOE, and see awareness, experience, 
valuation and purpose. Just how self-conscious he is I haven't a clue, 
except he seems to know the difference between his front paws and his 
tail, and keeps his distance from the bulldog next door. 

Regards,
Platt