[MD] Mind-body practice

[skutvik at online.no]

DMB  and all Buccaneers. 

On 12 Jan. you said: 

> dmb says:
> Actually, the difference between your SOL reading and the
> philosophical mysticism I prefer is very much related to the issue of
> academic acceptability.
 
> Late last spring I submitted a term paper as part of my application
> package so that philosophical mysticism is literally part of what got
> me accepted into graduate school. Before I applied, I'd taken a class
> with the program director to show her that I could do the work (The
> poor woman had to read it twice) and it scored the highest grade. More
> recently, a term paper produced for my pragmatism class focused on the
> radical empiricism of James and Dewey. This also scored the highest
> grade and he has since agreed to be my thesis advisor. So I'm telling
> you that nobody at the "academy" is laughing at this "orthodox
> interpretation". Quite the opposite. This is why I have repeatedly
> suggest that you investigate mainstream pragmatism and particularlyever
> James's radical empiricism. These experiences have served as a kind of
> reality check and of course I'm thrilled at the fact that these
> academic professionals have found it to be more that just acceptable.
> The program director and my advisor both understand that my final
> thesis will be an expanded version of these papers and they're both
> fine with it. Wish I could describe the looks on their faces. The
> reactions have been encouraging beyond my wildest dreams. I'm getting a
> little weepy just thinking about it. 
 
Philosophical mysticism is accepted with open arms, academy 
embraces such, along with scientific mysticism (New Age) it is 
regarded the necessary spice of the - objective - but bloodless papers 
that's only understood by scientists and/or "philosophologists". WHAT  
the philosophical mystics proposes as reality's ground, whether 
Heglian "monades", Northropian "aesthetic continuums", Jamesian 
"pure experience" or Pirsigean "quality" couldn't interest them less. No 
wonder you are given good grades and Anthony McWatt got his 
degree based on "orthodox" MOQ. As long as the MOQ is another 
theory about some mysterious Quality it's harmless. 

While the MOQ in the original interpretation, which is no mere theory 
about Quality, but meant to replace the SOM ( in ZAMM=intellect) and 
where reality - mystical or not - is Dynamic/Static-split instead of 
Subjective/Objective  and - moreover - the former divide is relegated 
the position of its own top static level (something that dissolves all 
platypis with one stroke) will make the "benevolent looks" freeze when 
they understand its enormity. The MOQ will never be accepted by the 
SOM-based academia, it will be tried ignored, the PhD advisers will 
highly recommend "another approach to secure you degree ...etc." 

No, it's foolish to think the MOQ will succeed inside SOM (if it does it is 
S/O-domized) and also also that it will happen overnight. From the 
Greeks to present day, intellect-as-SOM has only secured its position 
in the Occident (I  leave out the Orient here) and even if time seems to 
have speeded up and the world to have shrunk, it will take centuries. 
Also I am of two minds here, I cheer Western values struggle with the 
fundamentalist (fascism-religion) world and wonder if MOQ's 
revelation of this being intellect vs society will undermine this "mission" 
which is highly moral. It sounds coquettish, yet ...

> As for testing your SOL reading, I wouldn't know how because I can't
> make any sense of it. 
 
I could offer a few examples. The said Western values vs 
fundamentalism [as intellect vs society] is the one that requires a S/O-
intellect for the MOQ to have any leverage.

> Thanks for giving me an excuse to report this (and please forgive my
> lack of modesty) because I know that Robert Pirsig reads these posts
> every morning.
 
I like your style and at least we discuss the MOQ, I'm sure that RMP 
likes that infinitely better (even if criticized at times) than the prattle 
going on over at the other side.    


IMO

Bo