[MD] the sophists

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Marsha]
RMP does not reference SOM in ZMM.

[Arlo]
Talk about word games! No, he does not use the 
triad-lexical of "subject-object metaphysics", 
but even is quite clear in what he is condemning.

"And so: he rejected the left horn. Quality is 
not objective, he said. It doesn't reside in the material world.

Then: he rejected the right horn. Quality is not 
subjective, he said. It doesn't reside merely in the mind.

And finally: Phædrus, following a path that to 
his knowledge had never been taken before in the 
history of Western thought, went straight between 
the horns of the subjectivity-objectivity dilemma 
and said Quality is neither a part of mind, nor 
is it a part of matter. It is a third entity 
which is independent of the two." (ZMM)

"Man is not the source of all things, as the 
subjective idealists would say. Nor is he the 
passive observer of all things, as the objective 
idealists and materialists would say." (ZMM)

He later formalizes the term "SOM" to describe 
the opposing traditions of dominance in Western 
thought, but to suggest in any way that the 
Sophists were peddling "SOM" is ridiculous. 
Indeed, Marsha, if you're gonna bend over that 
far to make SOL work for you, I suggest a new career in the circus.

[Marsha]
To say the intellectual level could have been 
different is much like saying human being could 
have evolved with wings and flippers:  Idle speculation.

[Arlo]
Well, first, one point is the SOL says it NEVER 
could be any other way. Intellect IS SOM. There 
could never be an intellect that is NOT. Pirsig's 
entire thesis revolves around the fact that it 
COULD, and moreover that it SHOULD, have evolved 
differently in the West had it followed a 
different trajectory. Its not mere "idle 
speculation", this is the entire POINT to ZMM.

[Marsha]
I know I can quit this verbal game at any time.

[Arlo]
So do it, Marsha. If you need to think you are 
the victim of some "game", if that's the only way 
you rationalize yourself out of a dialogue you 
can't substantiate, then do it. What do I care?