[MD] What is SOM?

[skutvik at online.no]

Marsha and Steve, All 

Marsha cited LILA : 

> "Therefore, to the question, 'What is the purpose of all this 
> intellectual knowledge?' the Metaphysics of Quality answers, 'The 
> fundamental purpose of knowledge is to Dynamically improve and 
> preserve society.'"   (LILA, Chapter 24)

And added:
 
> I would like my question answered about the direct quote from your 
> 12/22/2007 04:29 AM post, "all patterns are contained inside the 
> intellectual level".  Was it a mistake, a misquote, or can you 
> provide a reference?

(the "mistake" part is cleared up) but the quote is interesting in 
connection with Steve's of 23 December:
 
> Bo said:
> > ...The levels are results of dynamic efforts to free existence from
> >  the strictures of the former  level, 

> Steve:
> Well put. Note also that there could not be static latching if this 
> dynamic effort did not support the former level. Social patterns 
> emerged to support life. Intellectual patterns emerged to support 
> societies.

The intellectual LEVEL did not emerge to support the social level. 
It was a social pattern too dynamic to "live at home" that became 
the intellectual level. The said necessary latching was at the 
intellectual level for it to survive. The social level had latched for 
hundred of thousands of years and needed no support, rather to 
be controlled. 

In the LILA quote the dynamic (social) pattern that became the 
intellectual LEVEL is called "knowledge" and because Pirsig (in 
the PT letter) says that it's best to see intellect arriving with the 
old Greeks it's plain as day that knowledge is the "objective" kind 
(not that of hunting and warring) Conclusion: The intellectual 
level is the S/O aggregate (SOM minus "M")    

The point about intellect's purpose is to preserve society stems 
from the ambiguity of the term "society". Social VALUE needs no 
preservation it is a lower and stronger latch, the one that 
existence drops down to when/if intellect is shaken. "Society" in 
the country or state sense is certainly improved if social value is 
overlaid by intellectual value. We see the harsh treatment of 
people in the social-value-steeped muslim countries. They would 
certainly have benefited from intellectual (Western) values, but 
the levels are blind, social value looks upon intellect as "immoral" 
and intellect yelps about "politics". Only the MOQ provides the 
true view.  

> Bo:
> > thus all patterns of the lower level exists inside the upper.
> > (as Pirsig says "all patterns are contained inside the intellectual
> > level)
 
> Steve:
> This sounds like Ken Wilbur, not Pirsig. Where does he say this? I 
> imagine context is important to understand such a quote.

No, it's Pirsig but has no impact on this issue.

Bo