[MD] A larger system of understanding

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Bo to Dan]
And moreover it proves that the weak interpreters regard Q-intellect 
to be a mental compartment where ideas - old and new - slosh around.

[Arlo]
Another good place to bring in the "a/the" argument.

According to the above, Pirsig is a "weak interpreter" of "the MOQ".

We could extend this to read "Pirsig is a weak interpreter of 
Pirsig's metaphysics".

We can simplify this a bit to read "Pirsig is a weak interpreter of 
Pirsig's ideas".

Further, "Pirsig is wrong about Pirsig's ideas".

This is the problem with those who remain fixated on the "THE" 
instead of seeing Pirsig's metaphysics of Quality as simply that, HIS 
ideas. YOUR ideas, YOUR metaphysics of Quality, are built in 
response/agreement/contrast/extension/revision/etc. from 
consideration of Pirsig's metaphysics, likely a bunch of other 
metaphysical ideas, and your own personal experience on this carousel.

Pirsig's metaphysics of Quality consider the intellectual level to be 
more than just SOM.

Bo's metaphysics of Quality consider the intellectual level held to 
only be SOM.

There is no "strong" or "weak" interpretation here. There are 
different ideas from different people. And there are those that think 
Pirsig's metaphysics have better value, and those few would think 
Bo's metaphysics have better value.

Why is it rocket science to some to consider that THIS is the ground 
this argument should be standing on?

There is no single MOQ that is sitting "out there" somewhere like an 
elephant and we, like blind men, are feeling about trying to 
"observe" or "interpret" it.

There are simply people's IDEAS. Pirsig's. Bo's. Mine. Platt's. John's. Etc.

I am convinced this is due to the SOList's continue fixation of the 
"THE", a malady derived from convention perhaps, but one that lies at 
the root of this entire house of noise.

As I've asked the SOLists in a few other threads...

Why are you all so obsessively hung up on the word "THE", and what 
value do you think it has?

Do you disagree with me that we use the phrase "THE metaphysics of 
Quality" as a conventional way of referring specifically to Pirsig's 
ideas, but that it would in fact be more accurate to say "Pirsig's 
metaphysics"?

Do you not see that obsessing on the "THE" objectifies the "MOQ" into 
some "reality"... that even Pirsig can be "wrong" about? This makes 
no sense. Pirsig can't be wrong about his ideas, but his ideas can be 
wrong. In the same way, Bo's ideas are not "THE MOQ", they are his ideas.

If we drop the word "THE", and instead simply talk about people's 
ideas, do you not see how all this interpretive nonsense and need for 
authoritative legitimacy would disappear?

In other words, what do you think is wrong with saying "A metaphysics 
of Quality that holds the intellectual level to SOM is better than A 
metaphysics of Quality that considers SOM to be one on many 
intellectual patterns"?

Does that not sum up your position? Why is it more important for you 
to say instead "THE metaphysics of Quality holds the intellectual 
level to SOM"?