[MD] Core problemS

[Ron Kulp]

Ron,

    I find this to be contradictory and I know we (as in this forum)
have had discussion on whether the levels are continuous and overlap, or
are discrete and conflict.  But, maybe what I put forward below might
help clarify these two seemingly contradictory passages by Pirsig.
  
    My take on levels and what's between the levels:  I find static
quality to emerge from dynamic quality, thus, it's not linear for me,
it's more like rising mountains.  Here's my analogy.  The valleys are
dynamic quality and the mountains rising out of dynamic quality are
static quality.  Static quality rising out of dynamic quality, but never
detaches from dynamic quality.  One could still find dynamic quality in
the mountains with the blooming flowers emerging from the mountains, so,
in this case, the mountains are dynamic quality and the blooming
emerging flowers are static quality.  Simply put, static quality emerges
out of dynamic quality but never detaches from dynamic quality and
between static patterns one may find dynamic quality as the transitional
state between static patterns where the static patterns are not readily
defined.


     Anyways, to not detract from your original question too far, I find
this to be very conflicting.  Pirsig says one thing and then says the
complete opposite, unless...  When Pirsig says 'but not all biological
patterns are social' this is the discrete part.  What about the 'all
social patterns are biological', maybe the defining here is not focused
on 'What are the social patterns', so, therefore the definition is about
biological patterns only, but once one defines the social patterns or
the social patterns emerge from the biological patterns a clear
distinction can be made, thus, a clear discrete categorization can be
developed.  To make a clear distinction between social and biological
patterns, they need to be discrete patterns, patterns that differ from
each other.


what do you think?

Ron:
I still believe seeing Quality as a substance is the wrong way to go.
I think Quality as description of experience comes closer to what
Pirsig is talking about. Experience is infinitely definable thus
remains undefined.

I'd like to hear what others think before I chime in any further.

Thanks SA