[MD] What's missing?

[Case]

Bo,

I think it is simply not true that the intellectual level is not expressed
in the early books of the Bible or among primitive tribes. It could be
argued that ancient and primitive peoples share different concerns than
moderns. They are more concerned with satisfying needs a little lower on
Maslow's hierarchy than we are today. One might argue that intellectual
speculation requires a bit more leisure time than ancients and prehistoric
peoples had available. Following this line of thinking it could be suggested
that only a society well developed enough to support sloth can have an
'intellectual' level. But this would lead to the conclusion that the
intellectual level was founded by slackers.

To say that the Torah for example is devoid of intellectual content is
without substance. We see in these books a concern with history, economics,
codification of a legal system, animal breeding, agriculture, mathematics, a
search for the meaning of life and man's proper place in the natural order.
Among primitive tribes, say the Rocky Boy Cree of Montana, we see questing
after visions, well developed sciences of herbalism and astronomical
observation, music and art. Among our most distant ancestors we see evidence
of concern with life after death, with art and or education in the form of
cave paintings, sculpture and tatooing.

What has happened between these "early" examples and today is quantitative
and exponential growth in facts and the ability to store and access facts.
This has happen in approximately three stages. First, writing which
distinguishes the historic period from the prehistoric period. Second the
printing press which improves access to the written store house of
knowledge. Third digital storage which makes access to the entire contents
of human knowledge instantly available to every knucklehead with a computer.

Given that each of these advances led early on to enhanced access and
expression of pornography and sexually oriented materials perhaps there is
something to the whole Slacker Theory after all. Slack is a central tenant
of the Church of the SubGenius you know? They too are followers of "Bob" and
make reference to Magritte.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Treachery_of_Images)

But one might just as well start a poll asking what aspects of this so
called 'intellectual' level are not concerned with social and biological
matters?

Case



Absolutely All.
I have tried to tried to air this "quiz" a couple of times but for 
some incomprehensible reason it did not evoke any interest, so I 
try again and hope that many will respond.

In his letter of September 2003 to Paul Turner Pirsig uttered 
these words:

    Just when the evolution of the intellectual level from the 
    social level took place in history can only be speculated 
    on .... [snip] .... but if one studies the early books of the 
    Bible or if one studies the sayings of primitive tribes 
    today, the intellectual level is conspicuously absent. The 
    world is ruled by Gods who follow social and biological 
    patterns and nothing else.  

But more specifically, what is missing from the said Biblical age 
compared to posterity? If that can be pinned down we finally have 
Pirsig's definition of what constitutes intellect. Of course there are 
a billion "things" and, not much talk about politics and economics 
..etc. but you know what I mean.:  In a MOQ context what has 
happened in between? 

Please

Bo 

  


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