[MD] Betternes - 4 levels of!

[david buchanan]

Ron (on Wed, Nov 3) to dmb:
I'm not quite sure I understand the resistance to the idea of linking the terms "betterness" with "value" and "Quality" some have.
 
 Andre: 
Hi Ron, I just wanted to check with you whether this referred to something I said about the difference between Quality and value as I hinted at as Anthony describes in his PhD? 



dmb says:
If Pirsig's books had an index the term "quality" would have about 400 entries. And that doesn't even include synonyms like "betterness", "values". "morals" or the "good". There are species and kinds within the static realm and Dynamic Quality shows up when you're sitting on a hot stove or achieving enlightenment. These distinctions matter and yet reality is nothing but quality. The logic chopping we do around it is never really going to nail anything down. The secondary conceptualizations are good only to the extent that they work as concepts, to the extent that they can be grasped and used for some purpose. And hopefully that purpose is maintaining or improving the quality of life somehow. 

You guys know that. I'm just saying "keep your eye on the ball". Or, as Emerson says, man should not be subdued by his instruments. You know, let us not be a slave to our own tools. Words and ideas are just tools. If Ant makes a distinction between Quality and value, I strongly suspect the interesting part would be the "why" and the "what for".