[MD] The Word is Not the Thing

[Andre Broersen]

[ Andre]
The intellectual? level ...should never have been designated as a 'level'
separate from the inorganic, organic and social because it is...the latter
three in combination (combining the values of the three).
This makes SOM a social PoV.

But each level builds on the?previous.? There couldn't be life without
inorganic atoms &

there couldn't be institutions without physical & biological PoVs.

So there's no reason to think a metaphysics is not intellectual.
Craig????

Andre:
Yes, Craig, you are correct. I must admit I was in a slightly depressed mood
when I wrote this (possibly because of this confusion about the intellectual
level...or is it only Bodvar's??)

If you permit me to expand a little though; I have just read 'The Greeks' by
Kitto and I find it quite revealing re chronology of philosophical events
(if I can put the ability of abstract intellectualising in this way). To be
honest, I had always, following Pirsig, assumed that Plato and Aristotle
were the great culprits in imprisoning arete/ quality.
This is clearly not the case. Arete AS SOCIAL EXPERIENCE was in decline long
before these two hit the scene and its decline coincided ( and Ron correct
me if I am mistaken) with the decline of the Polis. And what led to its
decline? PROGRESS...in the form of specialisation (in crafts, government,
warfare, maritime business, trade, poetry, plays etc etc) in other words
Quality!!

This was necessitated through outside influence (e.g. aggression and trade).

The Greek Polis could not survive without a 'professional' approach (i.e. an
expert) and at the same time this approach heralded the unworkeability and
therefore decline of the ideals of the Polis.

The role of Plato and Aristotle formalised this decline by arguing a more
'professional' ( call it systematic) approach to all matters of concern
including the notions of good, truth and reality. But the separation of myth
from thought had been going on for centuries.
Again, if I understand it correctly, even around Homer's time there is talk
of a concept called 'Ananke' ( a 'shadowy power' more powerful than the
gods; the gods are not omnipotent)...'what has to be', or Moira, 'the
sharer-out'. Thus a moral 'power'....I almost liken it to meaning DQ.

The Greek mind had, for centuries, occupied itself with metaphysical
questions regarding (amongst many other things) reality, and Pirsig only
highlights the (Aristotelian) scientific one and presents this as the birth
of intellect (???) or the intellectual level.
It seeems to me that much more evolved...abstract thought above all, and not
only a subject/object dominated one.

Well, so it appears to me anyway...on first reading.
Andre