[MD] The SOM/MOQ discrepancy.

[ml]

----- Original Message ----- 
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> 
> [Arlo]
> I don't have a problem with this, and I think its correct. "Man" does 
> evidence a "greater dynamism" in the depth and breadth of her/his 
> repertoire of possible responses to DQ than anything we have yet to 
> witness. I do think its incorrect, however, to say "uniquely 
> responsive" as I'd argue that at the boundaries of the levels we do 
> see not a clear line but a hazy one. IMO, certain other species do, 
> in fact, evidence very rudimentary (or primitive, if you like) 
> intellectual responses to DQ. And, even if I were to back away from 
> that, I think we can certainly see that other species do respond to 
> DQ socially (again, even if the complexity or range of these social 
> responses is "primitive" compared to man's). But your last part, 
> again, fully agree, the human species is "capable of the most dynamic 
> functions in the most dynamic layers".
> 

mel:
I agree the boundaries are fuzzy.  It's like studying a rainbow;
it makes my eyes and head hurt to try and see the edges of 
the color bands, I have no problen with the 'centers'.  

My use of 'unique' was not as 'exclusionary', but as 'specific'.
Man is uniquely not chimpanzee, which is uniquely not whale
and so on.  

Although close in many ways, we don't share the chimp's 
comprehension of three dimensional motion in a forest.
We don't share a whale's appreciation of real motion in 
the sea: aside from shallow, short dives, we know the ocean
only in the abstract.  Our concept of air has none of the facility 
of a bird's.  

Likely in the Metaphysics of Quality sub Whale, man's
inability to comprehend sound makes us deaf-mute outside
a uselessly narrow range.  We miss most of Cetation reality.
I am sure in the Metaphycis of Dog, that man's inability
to smell much of the world makes us appear blind to
'reality'.  (But our opposable thumbs allow us a special
place in their hierarchy of good vis our ability to provide 
meat-flavored biscuits.) 

I think the definition of living and of existing-in-the-present
is tied with the experience and response to the Dynamic.
No question...

thanks--mel