[MD] Zen

[Platt Holden]

Hi Chris,

> > [Chris]
> > Yes. Arlos reasoning is quite logical I'd say. But I wondered over the
> > sense of "Individuality" as such. Because I lean towards the
> > interpretation that the split between seeing the self and the world as one
> > and the self and the world as separate is the emergence of the
> > intellectual level -  

I agree with your interpretation of the emergence of the intellectual level 
-- when humans began to see the self (the individual) and the world as 
separate. For that and many other reasons I think it's entirely proper to 
refer to the intellectual level as the individual level.   

> Indeed the Dynamic Development of agriculture (the most fundamental 
> revolution in the history of mankind before the industrial revolution)  can
> be seen as a cornerstone in the development of the social level, but I was
> more interested in this individual business.  And the heard business.  By
> the gods, it's hard to think in terms of a time when people didn't view
> themselves as separate individuals - perhaps - but if we experiment with the
> thought, then we may  conclude that up until this thought of a separate
> individuality emerged people there would be no intellectual level.

By the gods, you are right!

 No matter
> how much anyone manipulated symbols or how many languages they spoke. But
> when did this emerge? I don't believe that it was only in Greece, and
> perhaps it was way earlier, but one also has to separate innovations from
> inventions. (don't know if that figure of speach works in English, but for
> example the steam engine was invented in Alexandria in 100BC but no one used
> it, so it was only an invention, not an innovation. ) But.I think I am
> straying too much. Will return with all of this more structured.

I wonder who invented the steam engine in 100BC. Must have been one smart
individual. 

Regards,
Platt