[MD] Dawkins a Materialist (is watching?)

[pholden at davtv.com]

Quoting ARLO J BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu>:

> [Platt offers]
> "Although Dynamic Quality, the Quality of freedom, creates this world in which
> we live, these patterns of static quality, the quality of order, preserve our
> world. Neither static nor Dynamic Quality can survive without the other."
> (Lila, 9)
> 
> Notice, "man" need not apply.
> 
> [Arlo had offered]
> "The Quality which creates the world emerges as a relationship between man and
> his experience."
> 
> The sentences are not contradictory. I could embed them with no loss of clarity.
> 
> "Although Dynamic Quality, the Quality of freedom, creates this world in which
> we live, emerges as a relationship between man and his experience, these
> patterns of static quality, the quality of order, preserve our world. Neither
> static nor Dynamic Quality can survive without the other." (Combined)
> 
> The latter does not replace, deny nor contradict the former.
> 
> You know, I can't think of any other philosopher whom we should (as you suggest)
> ignore everything they did and focus exclusively, in a vacuum, their latest
> work. Especially when said philosopher refers to his earlier work as "the path
> to enlightenment". 

You can "embed" them all you want to, but Pirsig didn't. As for a philosopher
changing his mind, you think that's some sort of a negative? I don't. I think it 
reflects the wisdom of maintaining an open mind. 


> [Arlo previously]
> Intellectual realities are paintings in an art gallery. Now THAT, amigos, is a
> good metaphor.
> 
> [Platt]
> Yes, but you can't eat intellectual realities.
> 
> [Arlo]
> Nor can you eat paintings. Well, you could try, I suppose. 

Good point! At last, a laugh.

> [Arlo previously]
> Out of nothingness, into nothingness. Or as the wise bard Andrew Eldritch penned
> "Words are just dust."
>  
> [Platt]
> Yes, but you won't live long without words.
> 
> [Arlo]
> Nor will you live long if that's all you have.

True. You need both metaphors and literalism.



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