[MD] QRE: The 4th. level's two interpretations. Par

[Steven Peterson]

Hi Bo,


> Steve:
>> > I don't know whether Stone Age man could provide a rationale for his
>> > behavior or not. Pirsig's comments suggest that he couldn't--that
>> > his behavior that was not instinctual (biologically latched through
>> > DNA) was ritual behavior (socially latched through unconscious
>> > copying of behavior). But if he could provide such rationale, doing
>> > so would be participating in intellectual patterns. The quality of
>> > said rationales would be intellectual quality rather than social or
>> > biological quality.
>
Bo:
> This is the same fallacious stuff about ancient people (social level as
> top notch) as mere robots. They surely had reasons for what they did
> without being anywhere near the intellectual level. "Rationale"is just
> an academical - intellectual - term for reason. Another thing. The
> social level is part of our make-up and we don't turn morons if/when
> we focus on that level.

Steve:
If an ancient people provided reasons for what they did, then they
participated in the intellectual pattern of providing reasons for what
they do. Reasoning is what Pirsig means by intellect.

Best,
Steve