[MD] Consciousness (explained?)

[John Carl]

On Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 9:53 AM, <skutvik at online.no> wrote:


> After Kant Western
> philosophy atropied, everyhing became footnotes to Kant or took on
> some very peculiar topic - ecolology - Pirsig is the first thinker who not
> only challenges Kant, but SOM's root: Plato & Co.



Ecology?  Peculiar?  I would dispute that particular disparagement.  What
can possibly be more meaningful than the study of the interaction between
organism and environment?  That is where the experience is, that is where
the rubber meets the road, that is where DQ is born.



How many have come on about reality being electric signals turned into
> qualities in minds as if we don't know that this is SOM's "materialist"
> view, the "idealist" is that there just is mind.


Idealism is an umbrella term with many variations.

>From Wiki:

In the ancient philosophy of the Vedas <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedas>,
idealism refers to the dynamic
consciousness<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_idealism> of
living beings that emanates from the divine cosmic
source<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God>
.

>
> > Consciousness is a picture of your unconsciuos thinking in your own
> > brain, a mirror that show yourself what is there. You can then by some
> > work make up another picture of your thinking and put the question:
> > "What if I'm wrong, if my picture of myself is someway distorted? To
> > think that you need another mirror of your unconsciuos thinking AND
> > your mirror. You're now conscious about your consciuosness. Next step:
> > You're then aware that you're consciuos about that you're consciuos
> > about your consciuosness. STOP. Don't get lost in this madhouse of mind
> > mirrors! Look down at the floor and follow the way out by the dirt
> > tracks from former visitors that went through before.
>
> > You don't need any more mirrors than these. The primary question is
> > how to maintain your own thinking. The mirror of consciousness is a
> > tool you need. To give your thinking quality you also need a roadmap
> > with a goal, a steering wheel and some gas.
>
> What about brake?
>
> Bodvar
>
>
If you don't have a brake, I'm sure somebody will supply you with one.   At
least that's been my experience.

But Jan-Anders, I like your analogy of cars and mirrors.  "You don't *need* any
more mirrors than the ones you need" is a succinct summing up of an
intellect knowingly subordinating to Quality.  We *can* go on
intellectualizing forever, we can meta-meta-meta till the cows come home,
but DQ tells us when to stop.

John