[MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Platt]
Are you now saying that the universe emerged from nothing and mind arises from
no mind due to "spirit?"

[Arlo]
The Universe, and mind, emerged from Quality interactions among individuals in
increasingly complex collectives.

[Platt]
Just what are your "third and fourth possibilities?"

[Arlo]
Again, you can easily read the archives to see what I, and Case much more
thoroughly, have said.

[Platt]
I've suggested two others besides God -- Quality and Consciousness.

[Arlo]
Are Quality and Consciousness separate? Or is Quality conscious?

[Platt]
You've said Quality, but then say it's a metaphor, meaning I presume, existing
only in language.

[Arlo]
Meaning "Quality", like any other attempt to understand the cosmos, is a
metaphor. An analogy. Its just a damn good one. Best one so far, I'd say.

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

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

[Arlo]
Again... I emphasize the PAGES and depth of Pirsig's insight, which extends far
beyond this simply jib. And was selected by Pirsig, like Zen was in ZMM, for a
reason. Second, to say this is parallel to me saying "Christian ethics allow
burning women at the stake". 

[Platt]
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.

[Arlo]
Maybe you should read ZMM. Pirsig calls it "the path to enlightenment". I take
it from that its worth the time. And maybe you'd learn a thing or two about
Buddhism and the Tao. There is a reason why Pirsig founded a Zen Center in
Minneapolis, after all.