[MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)

[pholden at davtv.com]

Quoting Arlo Bensinger <ajb102 at psu.edu>:

> [DM]
> I think if we want new values we have to walk the walk, there's 
> little to gain from criticising others, that may just kick off their 
> defensiveness.
> 
> [Arlo]
> And you are probably right. But every time Platt writes "oops" it 
> makes my skin crawl. Like there are two choices, "oops" or "God". And 
> no matter how many times anyone tries to push a third or fourth 
> possibility, if its NOT "God", its right back to "oops". Its the same 
> with "purpose". It either comes from being "designed", or you get 
> accused of proposing "life has no purpose". Two choices. And you try 
> to punch your way out of the dichotomy, only to see yet another post 
> saying "oops" and "Arlo believes life is purposeless". No matter what 
> I write about spirit, mysticism and Zen, I am accused of being an 
> "atheist" and likened to Pol Pot.

Are you now saying that the universe emerged from nothing and mind arises from
no mind due to "spirit?" Just what are your "third and fourth possibilities?"
I've suggested two others besides God -- Quality and Consciousness. You've
said Quality, but then say it's a metaphor, meaning I presume, existing only
in language.

> Despite Pirsig's depth of insight 
> about Native American Indians, say anything about them and you get 
> the "dashed brains" retort and nothing else.

A retort you conveniently ignore since it doesn't fit your worship of 
primitive Indian culture.

> Despite the entirety of 
> ZMM that provides a Buddhistic or Taoist read of Quality, I get inane 
> statements like "no one has ever shown an ethical system that is 
> better than Judeo-Christian". Criminey! Nonetheless, I appreciate the advice. 

Why don't you outline the ZMM ethical system for us? We know from Pirsig's own
words that that the system described in Lila called the MOQ found money an index
of social quality.  






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