[MD] Philosophy and Philosophology

[Joseph Maurer]

On 8/14/09 12:01 PM, "david buchanan" <dmbuchanan at hotmail.com> wrote:

<snip>
I'd also point out that the central mission in ZAMM is to expand rationality
and that the MOQ's moral hierarchy of static patterns puts intellect at the
top. I mean, the content of Pirsig's philosophy doesn't support
anti-intellectualism either. There just no way that a reasonable case can be
made. It can only be made through distortions and deletions.
<snip>
 
Hi DMB and all,
 
Imho Pirsig realized that the transcendental of SOM:-- Thing, One, Good,
True-- were not realistic. The true/good transcendental of SOM were an
assumption of a body/soul division.  The intellect/will activities of a soul
are not reality.  

In order to explain differences, he proposed an evolutionary hierarchy.  He
reintroduced Intellect as a level of evolution.  The Will was integral to
the social level. The One/Thing is the inorganic level.  For myself I find
One is necessary for mathematical logic, but it is not metaphysical inasmuch
as 1/0 is indeterminate.  Only Thing, the inorganic level, remains of SOM.

I accept seven levels of evolution:  Inorganic, Organic one cell
reproduction, Organic two cell reproduction, Social, Intellectual, Higher
social, Higher Intellectual.  The higher social and higher intellectual
levels are a further evolution in consciousness only the DQ of the social
level.

Joe 

> 
> John said:
> You can't fault Platt for villifying academia; it is a running thread through
> ZAMM and the evolution of the MoQ, after all. And in Pirsig's words (Intro to
> Lila's Child)  the mouth of the man himself... "But If dissenters didn't exist
> we would have to invent them because no set of philosophic ideas is worth much
> until it is tested by dialectical opposition."
> 
> 
> dmb says:
> 
> I think it's way too generous to call Platt a "dissenter" and I find nothing
> but fault in his vilification of academia. As luck would have it, I just went
> through that section of ZAMM and it's pretty clear that Phaedrus was defending
> the church of reason from a politically motivated lowering of standards, as
> Arlo pointed out. The right-wing Governor of Montana had decided to fine the
> college for every student that failed, which was virtually an order to pass
> everyone no matter what kind of lazy blockhead they were. Pirsig was branded a
> "subversive" for defending the most basic of academic standards. And,
> obviously, this defense was being made while he was employed as a college
> professor. This was years after he studied at the Hindu University in India
> and just before he went to the University of Chicago to rub out Aristotle.. And
> all this is told in his philosophical novel. Any one of these biographical
> facts is enough to dispute the notion but when they are taken all together the
> idea that Pirsig or his MOQ would support anti-intellectualism or the
> vilification of academia is just absurd.
> I'd also point out that the central mission in ZAMM is to expand rationality
> and that the MOQ's moral hierarchy of static patterns puts intellect at the
> top. I mean, the content of Pirsig's philosophy doesn't support
> anti-intellectualism either. There just no way that a reasonable case can be
> made. It can only be made through distortions and deletions.
> And that's why Platt doesn't count as a dissenter. Dissenters can test us to
> the extent that they're capable of dialectical opposition, capable of making a
> coherent, informed case against us. It's like chess or any other game. There
> is only a real contest to the extent that the other guy might defeat you
> within the rules of game. If I say "checkmate", he'll say "go fish". That's
> how much of an opponent he isn't.
> 
> 
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