[MD] Trance state

[Ham Priday]

Greetings, Joe -- 

> Aristotle divided thought into various categories, one of them
> being Metaphysics. answers.comSSSS..metaphysics has been
> understood in various ways: as an inquiry into what basic
> categories of things there are (e.g., mental and physical); etc.

According to philosophy scholar Dagobert Runes, 'Metaphysics' was an 
arbitrary title given by Andronicus of Rhodes (c. 70 B.C.) to the collection 
of Aristotle's writings.  He defined metaphysics as "the science of being as 
such."  So, if we can say nothing else about Aristotle's contribution to 
human knowledge, he established Metaphysics as the science of categorizing 
nature.

> IMO Pirsig eliminated the ³mental² category by substituting four
> levels of evolution in the ³physical² category which are ³mystically²
> perceived. ³Mystically² is an analogy for the way we perceive
> different levels of existence.  ³Conscious² is another analogy for
> ³mystically².  I am conscious in earth, water, air, fire, or inorganic,
> organic, social, intellectual realities.  Conscious is contrasted to
> Mechanical, not as ³mental to physical² but as undefined (mystical)
> to defined knowledge.

I agree that Pirsig "eliminated" (by purposely rejecting) the psychic nature 
of man which, to my way of thinking, is his most serious mistake.  I also 
believe it is a mistake to regard consciousness as "mystical".  The 
cognizant individual is a 'being-aware'.  Hence, the psyche is the locus or 
agent of experience that actualizes existential 'beingness' which is our 
physical reality.  Whether you call it "mechanical" or "objective", physical 
reality is the intellectual construct of beingness from value.  Awareness is 
not an existent, nor are the perceptions, thoughts, feelings, or ideas that 
constitute consciousness.  This is a statement of fact, not mysticism. 
"Undefined knowledge" may be a mystery to human understanding, but it is not 
"mystical"; it is simply that which is unknown.

> Aristotle's perception of the four transcendentals: thing (res),
> one (unum), true (verum), good (bonum) was a mystical perception.

I have not seen the term "mystic" or "mystical" referred to in the writings 
of Aristotle.  In two Wikipedia essays on Aristotle (under "Metaphysics of" 
and "Works of") the word "mysticism" appears only once, and it is in 
reference to Plato.

These are of course only my opinions.

Thanks, Joe.

--Ham