[MD] Quality and the Higgs Field: An Analogy

[Ham Priday]

Greetings, Mary [Mark mentioned] --


> Hello Ham, Mark, John, All,
>
> Is not DQ undifferentiated and undefined?

Your question is based on a precept that is problematic for two reasons:

1.  Direct Quality (DQ) is the theoretical postulate of a philosopher who 
believes that the universe is inherently moral.  There is no empirical 
evidence to support such a concept, nor was the author willing to define his 
Quality.  (I happen to believe that the universe is amoral.)

2.  To define the meaning of a word contextually or symbolically is to 
explain what it means or stands for.  However, the dictionary cites 
"demarcate" as the principal synonym of define, e.g., "a.) to fix or mark 
the limits or boundary of; b.) to characterize or distinguish."  This 
connotation unfortunately leads to the conclusion that what is defined is 
"separated or differentiated", as opposed to the undefined "holistic or 
unified".

I think Mark views reality as both "undefined" (Sameness) and "defined" 
(Differentiated).  I don't know what he considers "sameness" to be, but by 
some strange logic he is persuaded that "Quality interacts with Sameness" to 
create Difference.  In effect he would have us believe that a holistic 
characteristic or property is the agent of differentiation.  This is 
illogical to me.

The values we experience are NOT--cannot be--holistic for the very reason 
that they range from the desirable to the repugnant, the trivial to the 
magnificent, the most evil to the most moral.  It is the individual 
observer--"the measure of all things"--who makes the distinction between 
"high" and "low" Quality.  The ability to discriminate is not a property of 
Quality but of the value-sensible agent whose experience separates the good 
from the bad and what lies between.  Man's freedom to choose and to act in 
accordance with his choices is what determines the value of his reality.

I know you understand this instinctually, Mary, but have been persuaded by 
the Pirsigians that Quality is an "untouchable" premise that must be 
accepted as metaphysical truth.  The truth is that metaphysical theories are 
open to falsification just as are scientific theories.

You have expressed some profound thoughts of your own on the MD. 
Unfortunately, this is not one of them.

Best regards,
Ham