[MD] Intellectual Level

[118]

On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 5:17 AM, Mary <marysonthego at gmail.com> wrote:
> Marsha asked:
>> By the way, does a cost-benefit analysis produce quality?
>
> Maybe discover it.
>
> At the Biological Level I think cost-benefit ratios are a big factor.
> Nature values the conservation of energy, or at least respects it.
> At the Social Level an effective collaboration can be made more so by
> efficient use of resources.  An example being an efficiently
> functioning government vs. a corrupt or extravagant one.
>
> But you could also take the question in another direction and ask,
> "can a computer produce art?"
>
> Best,
> Mary

[Mark]
I think Mary's and Marsha's questions depict how we view Quality.

So, Marsha's question suggest a creation of quality in much the same
way Ham sees Value.  That is, that quality is a human construct.  Now,
Mary's answer point more to the uncovering of a quality which exists
outside of the human mind.  I prefer the latter.  However, it is not
as simple as all that, since discover connotes the symbolic
representation of Quality by the mind as a non-quality result.  It is
not a far leap to say that such symbolic representation is quality in
itself.  So we can speak of converting one appartion of quality to
another.  In such a scenario we have Quality, followed by sensed
quality, which is further converted into defined quality.

There is much discussion about the proposition that we as intellectual
beings, are somehow removed from actual Quality through the
intellectual process.  That is a, conscious separation from Quality.
In such a scenario, Quality only happens in some pre-intellectual
situation.  I find this to be both incorrect, and misleading.  If we
speak of forms of Quality I think it leads to better understanding.
Thus we have the dynamic and static, which in itself is also very
misleading.  Or we can talk about degrees of dynamic quality which
implies some kind of separation or difference.  Again, this form of
SOM analysis is misleading.  It is all the same quality.

In terms of computers and art, we can also discern a prejudice towards
Quality (or more appropriately Art).  If we see a computer as art in
itself (same as motorcycle maintenance), then the question would be:
Can art produce art.  The answer is, of course, Yes.  Quality produces
quality, this is what is meant by its manifestations.  In the same
way, quality produces Quality.  By this logic, we do away with any
needed source (or primary cause) for Quality, and see it as self
creating.

This is all very interesting, and has applications in both Buddhism
and Taoism.  It also confers meaning to many mystical meditations.
But it is not so much in the logical reduction of such a metaphysics
where one can appreciate Quality.  One can certainly travel these
paths to know quality, but what results from such travels is more of
an attitude, than any substancial derivation or truth.

Attitude is the final resting point of such metaphysics.  Sometimes it
looks like Gumption as Pirsig would say.

Cheers,
Mark

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